Welcome, sinners!

SHOCKING news!!  Not only is the Catholic Church full of sinners, but the Pope HIMSELF is a sinner, and admitted it in his own words!  WHAT?!  "I ask Pope Francis point-blank: “Who is Jorge Mario Bergoglio?” He stares at me in silence. I ask him if I may ask him this question. He nods and replies: “I ​​do not know what might be the most fitting description.... I am a sinner. This is the most accurate definition. It is not a figure of speech, a literary genre. I am a sinner.”" I kid, I kid.  The Pope is perfect.  OOPS, that's wrong, but that's what many non-Catholics think that Catholics believe.

My Church is full of sinners.  Not only that, it's also full of amazing people going to Heaven (and some who may not).  Jesus wasn't sacrificed on the cross for perfect people, although His mother would be the closest, and who wouldn't sacrifice themselves for their child or parent? (when you find a perfect person, let me know); He died for you, me and every person in the world; after all, each of us has sinned and fallen short of the Glory of God.  That means me, you, your pastor, my priest, Mother Teresa, Pope John Paul II, Pope Francis, Sts. Peter and Paul.

Just as the ER is not for people in perfect physical condition with no ailments (oh, to dream!!), the Church is not the place for perfect, sinless people.  We welcome EVERYONE to our Faith. Everyone? I mean....what about the sinners among us who have sex outside of marriage (adulterers, fornicators, homosexual sex, etc)? Or those that have stolen, cheated, killed, were rude to us before Mass, cut us off in the line for doughnuts, didn't give us the job we deserved, or fired us for unjust reasons.... them too?  Yeppers.  Now, that doesn't mean that we can continue to disobey the laws of Faith, the words of Jesus.  We should strive each day, each moment to be a better follower of Christ, a better example to those we come in contact with. 

It's hard to admit when we've made mistakes. It doesn't always work out very well when we tell a loved one or a supervisor that we messed up.  The repercussions may be very hard, and we may be met with a lecture, or tears, and never receive forgiveness.  But we must admit our mistakes to Christ.  He already knows. He knows EVERY SINGLE thing we've ever done: good, bad or ugly.  Is He waiting for us with a whip or planning His speech to make us feel even worse, and then banish us from his sight? No. He is waiting to give us LOVE, of all things. Complete, 100% love.  Shouldn't we be ready to die a little bit inside, swallow our pride, ask for His forgiveness, and then do better?  He suffered and died so deeply as a man on earth; this seemingly small thing of asking for His forgiveness is but a small repayment of thanks for His sacrifice.  If we don't ask forgiveness, if we don't admit our mistakes, we really are fooling one person: ourselves.

It may not be easy.  But the reward, even the immediate one, is beyond any words I can say.

Lord, have Mercy on me, a sinner.

RAK

Random acts of kindness

We've all heard that phrase.  Many of us have practiced it, whether it's something like letting a car into your lane when it'd be easier to skootch on by, or paying for their doughnut in the drive through at Krispy Kreme.

But what about those who are in the peripheral of your life? While they may not be close friends, or even close acquaintances, they still matter in your life simply by crossing paths with you, once, twice or dozens of times.

Two of the most touching encounters I've had in my daily life came from people who cross my path regularly.  What's funny is, that I doubt they realize the depth of impact they made on my life (nor, I perhaps theirs), although I did try to let them know that they made a difference just by sharing their thoughts with me.  How many times have we thought something nice about someone, and didn't say anything to them? That could make a difference between a bad day and a great day for them.

Today, tomorrow....do something that may be small for you, but makes a huge difference in someone's day.

Knock, knock....

Who's there?

Good question!  I know the face and spirit on this side of the keyboard, but have no idea who is reading my blog, if anyone is reading my blog!

Why do I have a blog, anyway?

One of the Gifts that I feel that the Holy Spirit has given me is writing.  Why do I think this?  I've always loved to write, and as many, often dreamed of writing the great American novel.  Alas, this has not been in the cards for me! (Although, I did win a short story competition for the state while in HS about a man and his cat....)  I often thought about writing, but didn't move towards it.  I'm proud that my son has the gift of writing; he was even featured in his (very large) high school yearbook his senior year. Coincidentally, I also was published in my high school yearbook my senior year; I was asked to write a poem commemorating a special hometown celebration, and it's printed on the inside cover, first page, of every yearbook for that year! :)

So, after my return to the Faith in February 2013, I felt all this energy pouring out of me.  I began to write. I wrote a little here and there for private use, but also began frequenting a message board for Catholics.  A few of the blog posts here were originally written for an online forum; the ones I can't get out of my mind get posted or elaborated on here on my blog.

One reason I started writing was because of how overwhelming the Spirit was inside me, and I had to let my thoughts out.  I don't want to forget these moments with the Spirit, and my memory is going fast, no matter how much something means to me.  Ahhh, the decline of various senses as I grow older....hearing is close behind, I'm afraid.  I also had an amazing experience with the Spirit in 1999, and I regret not keeping a journal at the time.

It's interesting, that at times, I will re-read something I've written, even shortly thereafter, and not remember writing it so well, or maybe not at all.  Where did the words come from?  My heart. And my heart at those times is filled with the Spirit.

Thanks and praise to our Lord for this gift.  Even if it's only You and I, I will cherish the words, and do my best to learn the lessons you've given me.

Whom shall I fear?

Have a blessed Monday!
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Romans 8

Romans 8:18
18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us. 

Romans 8:31b If God is for us, who is against us? 

Romans 8:37-39
37 But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer throughHim who loved us. 38 For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

What I'm reading this week.....

Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of Thy faithful and enkindle in them the fire of Thy love.
V. Send forth Thy Spirit and they shall be created.
R. And Thou shalt renew the face of the earth.
Let us pray. O God, Who didst instruct the hearts of the faithful by the light of the Holy Spirit, grant us in the same Spirit to be truly wise, and ever to rejoice in His consolation. Through Christ our Lord.

Amen.
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Here are some interesting links and blogs I'm reading this week:

http://www.catholicdoors.com/prayers/novena.htm

http://www.catholic.org/prayers/

http://www.ourcatholicprayers.com/

http://www.catholicdoors.com/prayers/saints.htm

http://www.firstthings.com/blogs/firstthoughts/2013/09/01/syria-and-the-wages-of-dissembling-about-benghazi/

http://www.patheos.com/Catholic.html

http://blog.adw.org/2013/07/four-common-tactics-of-the-devil/

http://www.catholicity.com/commentary/macfarlane/givinggod20.html

http://www.catholicdoors.com/courses/howtopray.htm

http://theramblingsofacrazyface.wordpress.com/

Little Catholic Bubble

31 days with Saints

24th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Grace

More about grace....

The MOST Theological Collection: Mary in Our Life

Rosary Indulgences

Saints

Novenas

Praying with the Saints

Catholic links on Catholicity

Catholicity (editorial post)

Mary...
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May God bless and keep you safe today.

I can only imagine

I can only imagine, what it might be like....I love this song.

I first heard it at the very moment I got the news that my amazing grandmother had died.  I wasn't even listening to a Christian music station.  It was playing on contemporary radio in the background.  My grandmother was probably the most Christian woman I ever knew.  She was loving, charitable, welcoming...I could go on for days and still not scratch the surface.  I love to imagine that my Grandma might be dancing with Grandpa for Jesus.  I learned so much about Christian living and sharing God's Love and Word with others, from them.

This always makes me melancholy, and miss my Grandma.  It also reminds me of the ultimate goal we all have: to meet our Savior face to face.  Just imagining it overwhelms my heart and soul.

I love you, Grandma & Grandpa, and miss you so much.