I invite you to make yourself at home, leave a comment, send an email, or subscribe to receive regular updates. Now, about that card you have in your hand:
Catholicism is the Church founded by Christ. Peter was the first Pope, and all Popes have been in direct succession to him. One. Holy. Catholic. Apostolic. We are the first Christian Church.
Lord, I need you. This is in reference to one of my favorite songs, and I loved it long before I found out he was a Catholic artist. You can visit Matt Maher's website HERE, or see a video online here, which includes the beautiful lyrics.
One of our simplest prayers is the Sign of the Cross: In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Catholics usually touch themselves on the forehead for the Father, the heart/chest for the Son, and on our shoulders for the Holy Spirit. It is both a prayer and a gesture. One doesn't need to do the gestures during the prayer, but most do. I would say it is one of our most regularly prayed prayers, as we often use it after saying another prayer, to open and end worship/Mass, meetings, meals and more. You might notice that I do my best to say that we are PRAYING prayers, not reciting or saying them. It's good to remember that any/all of our prayers are speaking to the Lord, and we shouldn't be 'rote' about any of it.
Psalm 86: Honestly, I can't recall why I felt compelled to add that particular Psalm on the card. All of the Psalms are beautiful, and I don't currently have a special devotion to any of them. But I (or more accurately, God) must have had a reason to include it. You can find it HERE, and I'll include the text of the Psalm at the bottom of this page.
I've also included my direct email on the card, as well as one of my favorite Catholic websites, Catholic.com. It has a number of tracts, essays, forums, prayers, and other great resources for everyone, whether you are an atheist, Christian, Muslim or however you identify yourself, and at any and all levels (practicing, lapsed, seeking).
Now if you'll turn the card over, you'll see the Corporal and Spiritual Works of Mercy. These all teach us to show charity to others. The corporal ones are just that: physical, and with our hearts. The spiritual ones are ones we do inside ourselves, and via our hearts and words. The spiritual ones can be more difficult, as we don't receive the feedback that we so often desire. (Bearing wrongs patiently and forgiving all injuries are two that are very difficult for me.) But it is better to receive our Glory in Heaven! Jesus Himself even tells us to perform works of mercy:
Matthew 25
34 Then shall the king say to them that shall be on his right hand: Come, ye blessed of my Father, possess you the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.
35 For I was hungry, and you gave me to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave me to drink; I was a stranger, and you took me in:
36 Naked, and you covered me: sick, and you visited me: I was in prison, and you came to me.
37 Then shall the just answer him, saying: Lord, when did we see thee hungry, and fed thee; thirsty, and gave thee drink?
38 And when did we see thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and covered thee?
39 Or when did we see thee sick or in prison, and came to thee?
40 And the king answering, shall say to them: Amen I say to you, as long as you did it to one of these my least brethren, you did it to me.41 Then he shall say to them also that shall be on his left hand: Depart from me, you cursed, into everlasting fire which was prepared for the devil and his angels.
42 For I was hungry, and you gave me not to eat: I was thirsty, and you gave me not to drink.
43 I was a stranger, and you took me not in: naked, and you covered me not: sick and in prison, and you did not visit me.
44 Then they also shall answer him, saying: Lord, when did we see thee hungry, or thirsty, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister to thee?
45 Then he shall answer them, saying: Amen I say to you, as long as you did it not to one of these least, neither did you do it to me.
46 And these shall go into everlasting punishment: but the just, into life everlasting.
James 2:14-26
14 What good is it, my brothers and sisters,[a] if you say you have faith but do not have works? Can faith save you? 15 If a brother or sister is naked and lacks daily food, 16 and one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and eat your fill,” and yet you do not supply their bodily needs, what is the good of that?
17 So faith by itself, if it has no works, is dead.
18 But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.” Show me your faith apart from your works, and I by my works will show you my faith. 19 You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder.
20 Do you want to be shown, you senseless person, that faith apart from works is barren? 21 Was not our ancestor Abraham justified by works when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? 22 You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was brought to completion by the works. 23 Thus the scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness,” and he was called the friend of God. 24 You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone. 25 Likewise, was not Rahab the prostitute also justified by works when she welcomed the messengers and sent them out by another road? 26 For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is also dead.
A Prayer of David.
1 Incline your ear, O Lord, and answer me,Thank you for visiting the blog. You know how to reach me, and I hope this helps you to reach God. God bless you, from the bottom of my heart and soul. Even if I never hear from you, I pray that God does.
for I am poor and needy.
2 Preserve my life, for I am devoted to you;
save your servant who trusts in you.
You are my God; 3 be gracious to me, O Lord,
for to you do I cry all day long.
4 Gladden the soul of your servant,
for to you, O Lord, I lift up my soul.
5 For you, O Lord, are good and forgiving,
abounding in steadfast love to all who call on you.
6 Give ear, O Lord, to my prayer;
listen to my cry of supplication.
7 In the day of my trouble I call on you,
for you will answer me.
8 There is none like you among the gods, O Lord,
nor are there any works like yours.
9 All the nations you have made shall come
and bow down before you, O Lord,
and shall glorify your name.
10 For you are great and do wondrous things;
you alone are God.
11 Teach me your way, O Lord,
that I may walk in your truth;
give me an undivided heart to revere your name.
12 I give thanks to you, O Lord my God, with my whole heart,
and I will glorify your name forever.
13 For great is your steadfast love toward me;
you have delivered my soul from the depths of Sheol.
14 O God, the insolent rise up against me;
a band of ruffians seeks my life,
and they do not set you before them.
15 But you, O Lord, are a God merciful and gracious,
slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness.
16 Turn to me and be gracious to me;
give your strength to your servant;
save the child of your serving girl.
17 Show me a sign of your favor,
so that those who hate me may see it and be put to shame,
because you, Lord, have helped me and comforted me.
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