Sunday, May 13, 2007
Mother's Day
Mother's Day!!! Newborn's Conversation With GodA baby asked God, "They tell me you are sending me to earth tomorrow,but how am I going to live there being so small and helpless?"God said, "Your angel will be waiting for you and will take care of you."The child further inquired, "But tell me, here in heaven I don't have to doanything but sing and smile to be happy."God said, "Your angel will sing for you and will also smile for you. And youwill feel your angel's love and be very happy."Again the child asked, "And how am I going to be able to understand whenpeople talk to me if I don't know the language?"God said, "Your angel will tell you the most beautiful and sweet words youwill ever hear, and with much patience and care, your angel will teach youhow to speak.""And what am I going to do when I want to talk to you?"God said, "Your angel will place your hands together and will teach you howto pray.""Who will protect me?"God said, "Your angel will defend you even if it means risking its life.""But I will always be sad because I will not see you anymore."God said, "Your angel will always talk to you about Me and will teach you theway to come back to Me, even though I will always be next to you."At that moment there was much peace in Heaven, but voices from Earth couldbe heard and the child hurriedly asked, "God, if I am to leave now, pleasetellme my angel's name."God said, "You will simply call her, "Mom."Lift a mother's spirit, send this to every mother you know (no matter howold her child is).
Thursday, May 10, 2007
Self-Giving Always Brings Us Joy
If you keep my commandments, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commandments and remain in his love.
I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and your joy may be complete. John 15:10-11
Joy is ultimately God's will for us. Joy is what we want for ourselves and for those we love. Sometimes, though, we look for it in the wrong places. If we try to find joy merely in material things, it eludes us. If we look for it in self-forgetting love, then joy finds us. I think this sums up much of what Jesus consistently tells is in the Gospel.
Jesus' commandments are all about loving God for himself and loving others in ways that we ourselves would want to be loved. Does this really bring joy? Maybe the best answer can come from our own self-reflection. In my life, all of my self-centered moments eventually caused me regret. But all the moments of gratitude and caring brought a wonderful sense of joy. This is what Jesus wants us to experience in our everyday life.
Lord, you came to show us how our lives could be meaningful and joyful. May your spirit guide us so that our lives may be in harmony with you.
Fr. Kenneth E. Grabner, C.S.C.
I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and your joy may be complete. John 15:10-11
Joy is ultimately God's will for us. Joy is what we want for ourselves and for those we love. Sometimes, though, we look for it in the wrong places. If we try to find joy merely in material things, it eludes us. If we look for it in self-forgetting love, then joy finds us. I think this sums up much of what Jesus consistently tells is in the Gospel.
Jesus' commandments are all about loving God for himself and loving others in ways that we ourselves would want to be loved. Does this really bring joy? Maybe the best answer can come from our own self-reflection. In my life, all of my self-centered moments eventually caused me regret. But all the moments of gratitude and caring brought a wonderful sense of joy. This is what Jesus wants us to experience in our everyday life.
Lord, you came to show us how our lives could be meaningful and joyful. May your spirit guide us so that our lives may be in harmony with you.
Fr. Kenneth E. Grabner, C.S.C.
Tuesday, May 8, 2007
Help Us O'Lord
They stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city, supposing that he was dead. But when the disciples gathered around him, he got up and entered the city. Acts 14: 19-20
God, open our eyes to see and respond to the need of our brothers this day.
God, open our eyes to see and respond to the need of our brothers this day.
Monday, April 30, 2007
God's Inclusive Kingdom
If then God gave them the same gift he gave to us when we came to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I to be able to hinder God. Acts 11:17
It's hard to resist the temptation to try to hinder God. There are all kinds of things and people that I would rather not see included in the Kingdom of God. Mosquitoes and cockroaches, of course, top the list. But more often than I want to admit, I catch myself putting people on that list. "Surely those people aren't included in God's Kingdom."
No matter who those people are, when I hear myself using this phrase, I'm forced to examine my desire to hinder God's expansive love calling everyone into the Kingdom. Difficult as it is, I try to turn from this phrase to prayer for the inclusion of those people in the Kingdom and for the expansion of my narrowness of mind.
Aileen A. O'Donoghue
It's hard to resist the temptation to try to hinder God. There are all kinds of things and people that I would rather not see included in the Kingdom of God. Mosquitoes and cockroaches, of course, top the list. But more often than I want to admit, I catch myself putting people on that list. "Surely those people aren't included in God's Kingdom."
No matter who those people are, when I hear myself using this phrase, I'm forced to examine my desire to hinder God's expansive love calling everyone into the Kingdom. Difficult as it is, I try to turn from this phrase to prayer for the inclusion of those people in the Kingdom and for the expansion of my narrowness of mind.
Aileen A. O'Donoghue
Sunday, April 29, 2007
Catechcis of the Good Shepherd
Thomas, called Dydymus, one of the Twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. So the disciples said to him, "We have seen the Lord." But he said to them, "Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands and put my finger into the nailmarks and put my hand into his side, I will not believe. John 20: 24-25.
*******************************************
Since 1954, Dr. Sofia Cavalletti, a Hebrew and Scripture scholar and member of the Vatican Commission for Jewish-Christian Relations, and her colleague, Professor Gianna Goggi, a Montessori-trained educator, have developed the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd.
This approach to teaching children the Catholic faith was based upon their observance and working with children at the Children Centre in Rome.
The Catechesis provides an environment called an Atrium, in which certain biblical and liturgical themes suitable to the children's developmental needs are presented. The Atrium contains concrete materials, consistent with the themes that help children deepen their relationship with God.
********************************************
Sofia Cavaletti believes that youngsters already know the story of God and Jesus as the Good Shepherd before anyone tells it to them. Before they were born, they were in God's arms. The sights, sounds and smells of God are part of their makeup. They have had from the beginning an interior teacher - the Spirit of God that is deep within them. They know God. The teacher brings from the outside an echo of what they already know inside, and helps it to deepen.
*******************************************
Since 1954, Dr. Sofia Cavalletti, a Hebrew and Scripture scholar and member of the Vatican Commission for Jewish-Christian Relations, and her colleague, Professor Gianna Goggi, a Montessori-trained educator, have developed the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd.
This approach to teaching children the Catholic faith was based upon their observance and working with children at the Children Centre in Rome.
The Catechesis provides an environment called an Atrium, in which certain biblical and liturgical themes suitable to the children's developmental needs are presented. The Atrium contains concrete materials, consistent with the themes that help children deepen their relationship with God.
********************************************
Sofia Cavaletti believes that youngsters already know the story of God and Jesus as the Good Shepherd before anyone tells it to them. Before they were born, they were in God's arms. The sights, sounds and smells of God are part of their makeup. They have had from the beginning an interior teacher - the Spirit of God that is deep within them. They know God. The teacher brings from the outside an echo of what they already know inside, and helps it to deepen.
Saturday, April 28, 2007
Active Contemplation
It's been much too long since I've visited, three weeks, but do know that my spiritual growth continues each day. Holy week was very powerful for me this year. It's been one year since I was baptized at the Easter Vigil and don't get me wrong, that was a very powerful event, but this year had an even greater impact on me. I understood the events in a much clearer sense, embraced each in a solemn, peaceful manner as I sat back and contemplated each for what it stood for.
*****************************************************************************
Thomas, 'the Outspoken Twin
Thomas is mentioned several times in John's gospel. Although he is best known as the "doubting Thomas," he also comes across as a person of courage who speaks his mind.
At one point some of the Jewish people in Jerusalem threatened to stone Jesus because he had said, "The father and I are one." Jesus left the city and went to a deserted place with the disciples. While there, he heard that his friend Lazarus had died. Jesus tells the disciples that he going back to Jerusalem to "awaken" Lazarus. They warn Jesus that a return there so quickly would be dangerous. Thomas says, "Let us go to die with him."
***************************************************************************
Thomas apparently had a nickname - "Didymus" (the Greek word for twin). There is an interesting tradition that the disciples gave Thomas this nickname because, in appearance, he closely resembled Jesus. They would refer to him, not "Thomas" but as "The Twin."
*****************************************************************************
Thomas, 'the Outspoken Twin
Thomas is mentioned several times in John's gospel. Although he is best known as the "doubting Thomas," he also comes across as a person of courage who speaks his mind.
At one point some of the Jewish people in Jerusalem threatened to stone Jesus because he had said, "The father and I are one." Jesus left the city and went to a deserted place with the disciples. While there, he heard that his friend Lazarus had died. Jesus tells the disciples that he going back to Jerusalem to "awaken" Lazarus. They warn Jesus that a return there so quickly would be dangerous. Thomas says, "Let us go to die with him."
***************************************************************************
Thomas apparently had a nickname - "Didymus" (the Greek word for twin). There is an interesting tradition that the disciples gave Thomas this nickname because, in appearance, he closely resembled Jesus. They would refer to him, not "Thomas" but as "The Twin."
Friday, April 6, 2007
Good Friday
It is late Friday afternoon, Jesus is dead. Only the evening before he was at the Last Supper table celebrating the Passover with his disciples.
After supper, things began to go very, very bad. One of the twelve went off to betray Jesus. All of them fled when he was arrested and they haven't been seen since - except Peter, who returned only to deny Jesus three times.
The disciples will be seen just one more time in Matthew's Gospel - after the resurrection - and it isn't entirely laudatory: The eleven disiples went to Galilee, to the Mountain
to which Jesus had ordered them. When they saw
him they worshipped, but they doubted.
That is their final appearance in Matthew's Gospel. By contrast, the women followers of Jesus (Mt 27:55-56) are there when Jesus dies, and they are there when he is buried. Faithful to the end. May it be said of me when I die.
***********************************************************************************
Immediately after the death of Jesus, Matthew symbolically brings out its meaning:
After supper, things began to go very, very bad. One of the twelve went off to betray Jesus. All of them fled when he was arrested and they haven't been seen since - except Peter, who returned only to deny Jesus three times.
The disciples will be seen just one more time in Matthew's Gospel - after the resurrection - and it isn't entirely laudatory: The eleven disiples went to Galilee, to the Mountain
to which Jesus had ordered them. When they saw
him they worshipped, but they doubted.
That is their final appearance in Matthew's Gospel. By contrast, the women followers of Jesus (Mt 27:55-56) are there when Jesus dies, and they are there when he is buried. Faithful to the end. May it be said of me when I die.
***********************************************************************************
Immediately after the death of Jesus, Matthew symbolically brings out its meaning:
- The veil of the sanctuary barred entrance to all but the Jewish priest. Now it is torn in two and all have access to God through Jesus.
- The earthquake indicates that the foundations of the earth are shaken. The reign of God is beginning.
- The rising of the dead gives evidence that the death of Jesus is life-giving.
- The profession of faith by the Roman ceturion is a sign of the Gentiles becoming disciples of Jesus (Mt 27:51-54) .
The death-resurrection of jesus is a turning point of history. During the three days of the Sared Triduum, I enter into the dying and rising of Jesus.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)