Sharing a Post: A song saves that lives

My blogging friend Victor at Time for Reflections has a beautiful post about a song that has saved many babies from abortion.

Today, on March for Life 2017 day, I thought it would be a very timely post to share with you.

Please pray for the unborn, and any mothers or fathers struggling with their decisions.

God Bless you, and thank you Victor for sharing this with us.

They Were All Thomases

What really stuck with me this week, was that Thomas gets a bad rap. 

Nine times out of ten, he is singled out as Doubting Thomas, not grouped with the other Apostles.

And part of that does wonders for our faith.  As Victor so astutely points out in this post, Thomas provided us with even more evidence of Christ's Resurrection. 

But the ironic thing - the thing that kept nagging at me all week - was that all of the Apostles were doubting Thomases, were they not?  

Jesus told them that He was going to rise on the third day, and they still sat locked in their homes after His death, afraid and confused.  It was not until they saw Him that they believed.

Likewise, when Mary Magdalene tells the Apostles that she saw the risen Lord, Luke tells us they did not believe her.  It was not until John and Peter see the empty tomb that they believed her.

Weren't they just like Thomas?  Did they not need visible proof before they believed?

Don't get me wrong, I don't think we need to add "Doubting" in front of every Apostle's name.  Heck, if that were the case, we'd have to add it to all of ours as well.  But maybe we can add an asterisk or something next to Thomas' to clarify that he wasn't the only one.  Or put air quotes around "doubting" to indicate the irony.

Perhaps I will send a note to our newly elected Pope and see if he will champion this cause for me.  

(Yes, I know what you are thinking.  You'll believe it when you see it...)


Blessed are those who have not seen but believe.

 

A Lobster, Comments, and the Transfiguration

Well, I am quite thrilled that Victor has bestowed the prestigious Lobster Award on me.   (More on the award in a second ...)


And while I am thankful that he has given me this highly prized crustacean, I am also now left with the challenge of weaving it into a post about today's gospel.  


Here goes nothing ...


First, the award.  Victor sums up his invention this way:


This magnificent and rarely presented Award is only given to those tireless and hard-working Bloggers who, despite the many vicissitudes which life may throw in their way, despite the magnitude of the task ahead in their daily grind that is this vale of tears, despite every obstacle, every hardship, and every discouragements and temptations to just click and move on to another Blog; they still find time to visit your personal offering and to regularly leave a message there in the Comments Box. 


(Little does Victor know that I enjoy reading his posts, and leaving a comment on his page is really no work at all.  But I will continue to feign sweat and tears each time I visit if it means I can call myself an Award Winning Blogger .  Shhhh.  Our secret.)


In any case, today we read about the Transfiguration.  


I usually focus on two things when I read that passage:  (a) wonder at what it really looked like, and (b) pity for poor St. Peter who blurted out the only thing he could think of to help.    


But Victor's award has forced me to think of a new angle.


Perhaps this event was Jesus taking time out from His "daily grind that is this vale of tears, full of every obstacle, every hardship, and every discouragement and temptation" to show three of his closest friends that he cares.  


He gave them a glimpse of something really special.  Something no one else got to see.  A sneak peak at the bigger picture.  A sign that would help them believe. 


A token of appreciation, perhaps.


And so now it is my turn.  I tried my hardest to turn my clothes dazzling white, but alas, I'm just a mere mortal.  So instead, I will turn you blog red, and hand out this Lobster Award to those of you that take the time out of your busy days to let me know you are out there and reading:


Victor
Mary
Karinann
Colleen
Daily Grace
Shirley
Carol
Jade
Noreen
Andie
Kathryn
Anne


I really do appreciate the camaraderie.


(And thank you to everyone else that reads this blog each week, knowing comments are not a requirement!)


God Bless.


P.S.  A special thanks to Victor for not only coming up with this award, but for always trying to inspire the rest of us!

I'm It

I've been a bit remiss in fulfilling my meme duties over the past few weeks.

Victor tagged me during Lent to share 5 things I love about Jesus.   

And Karinann passed on a meme where I have to choose my three favorite Scripture verses. 

I think most of you that read this blog also read theirs, so I don't need to gush on about how wonderful both of them are.  But if you need me to just let me know ...

In any case, two memes are one too many for my simple mind to work on - so I'm going to break some rules and combine them.  

(sound of blogosphere gasping in unison)

I know, I know.  But here it goes.  I'm going to find my three favorite verses that show why I love Jesus.   

Drumroll please .... 

Number 3:  John 13:1-17

Jesus washes His disciples' feet.

I love Jesus not only because He showed great humility by performing this act, but because He did it to teach us.  Equally powerful, though, was when He did it.  On the night he was about to be handed over to death, He loved us enough to keep teaching.  How did He keep such focus?  Such a caring frame of mind?  It is beyond my comprehension - but certainly not taken for granted.

Number 2:   John 21:15-17

Jesus asks Peter if he loves Him three times.

We've all been guilty of doing or saying the wrong thing.  Remember how badly you wanted a do-over?  I can't imagine the guilt poor Peter must have been living with after denying our Lord three times.  Jesus lets him redeem himself in one of the most beautiful gestures in the entire Gospel.  

I love Him for showing me that same forgiveness.


Number 1:   1 Peter 2:21-24

To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps. 
 
 “He committed no sin,
   and no deceit was found in his mouth.”
 
 When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly. “He himself bore our sins” in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; “by his wounds you have been healed.” 

A perfect summary of the sacrifice Christ made for us.   It captures His innocence, His obedience, and His love.  

And, of course, it reminds me of the most important reason I love Jesus.

Thanks again to Victor and Karinann.

God Bless you.

A Note to Myself

Dear Self,

Today, while you are thanking God for all those big things He has given you (and for all the petty things you think are important) please remember to thank Him for that breath you just took.

And while you are at it, thank Him for the breath you are about to take, too.

In your daily commotion, you kinda have a habit of taking gifts like that for granted.

Sincerely,

Michael

P.S.  Remember to wish all your blogging friends a Happy Thanksgiving, too.  You are very fortunate to have them in your life.

Three Favorite Prayers

I've been tagged by Anne at Imprisoned in My Bones to list my three favorite prayers. 

I'm sure most of you that read this blog also read Anne's - so I don't need to gush on and on about what an inspiring blog she hosts.  (But I certainly will upon request ...)

I have to admit, this MEME really got me thinking.  After long introspection, I learned that the prayers I gravitate to are either traditional or short/plainspeak.  I'm assuming the spirit of this MEME is to share new or less common prayers with each other, so I will focus my list on the latter.   (Otherwise, I would obviously have to start and end the list with the Our Father - the perfect prayer given to us by Jesus himself.)

Ok, here goes.  You all know the first one, but perhaps not the second two ...

1)  The Fatima Prayer  
Oh my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of hell, lead all souls to Heaven, especially those that most need Thy mercy.  Amen.

Why this prayer?  For starters, it was given  to us by Mary (if you believe in the Fatima miracle).  Second, in just a few words it requests (a) forgiveness, (b) a path to Paradise, and (c) mercy on those souls in need.   How's that for efficiency?


2)  Morning Prayer
Lord, thank you for this beautiful day.  Please help me to do everything in my power for your honor and glory.


Why this prayer?  It's one of the first "non-traditional" prayers I ever learned.  It was taught to me through a sermon by the late, great, Fr. Joseph Rosetti (who God blessed with 100 years on this earth).  I'll never forget how he emphasized the word beautiful - so that it was clear that every day should be considered as such because it is a gift from God.  


It also keeps me focused on what the day should really be about - God's will.  


3)  Mind and Heart
Jesus, please fill my mind with your Peace and my heart with Your Love.


Ironically, I just learned this one yesterday from a traveling priest at a Church I was visiting.  (There goes God, working in his mysterious way again ...)  I've actually prayed versions of this before, but I usually clutter them up by adding "and also ..." to them.  This one is clean and simple.  Could you imagine how wonderful this world would be if we all let Jesus fill our minds and hearts?


*As with all of my lists, this one is subject to change the minute I hit "publish post".

God Bless.

100 + 40 = 140

It's not often that I post on a Wednesday, but God has a funny way of timing things.

Today, on the first day of Lent, I am writing my 100th post.

When I started this blog August 7, 2008, I really wasn't sure what God wanted me to do. I just felt like He wanted me to start writing. I thought that He wanted me to add to the online Catholic community to help people spend more time with God.

Little did I know that He sent me here to learn from all of you.

So this 100th post is my thank you to all of you that have stopped by here to read my posts, to encourage me, and to make me smile. You have taught me what true Faith looks like, what God's community feels like, and what real prayer sounds like. Through your blogs, your comments, your knowledge, and your prayers, you have helped me grow closer to God.

And as I have said before, for that I am eternally grateful.

I pray that you all have a very Blessed Lenten season as we prepare for the coming of our Savior.

- Michael

P.S. You are probably looking at the title to this post and wondering what that equation means. Well, the 100 is because this is my 100th post. Lent starts today for 40 days. Those two added together obviously equal 140 ... which just so happens to be the number of characters Twitter gives you to say whats on your mind. So, one of my Lenten commitments is going to be to praise God via Tweets as often as I can during Lent. Not a Twitter fan? You can follow my tweets in the upper right corner of my blog. Have a twitter account? Why don't you join me and help me fill the Twitter-sphere with praise!?

But What Table Should We Sit Him At?

Ahhh ... the Wedding Feast at Cana.

Easily one of my favorite passages in the New Testament.

I've read it a hundred times, but today, God gave me a new perspective on it.

I've always looked at this wonderful miracle through the eyes of two people - Our Savior's and Our Blessed Mother's. His first public miracle. Her confident direction. The significance of that hour never ceases to move me.

But today, for the first time, I looked at this Blessed event through the eyes of the Bride and Bridegroom. And I asked myself one question:

Do you think they knew that God was their wedding guest?

The answer, of course, is most likely no. After all, He had just started His public ministry. In fact, I bet the bridegroom, after being told about the "choice wine", went back to the celebration without much thought.

Imagine how different things would have been had they known! The celebration that day would have been for His presence - not just for their union. He would have been at the head table, not the one to the side near the band. And they would have probably spent the night listening to His word, not dancing and drinking.

But, alas, they may have glanced over their Most Favored guest. Perhaps shook his hand and thanked Him for attending as they moved around from one guest to another. (Do you think they did that back then?)

As I pondered this, slightly depressed, I realized that I do the same thing every day.

After all, He is present in every mass. He is present when people gather in His name. And He is present in all of us.

He is here.

And yet, I wonder how many times I've glanced over Him?

Lord, please help me to realize Your Presence, to hear Your Word, to see Your Works, and to feel Your Love - today and every day.

God Bless.

P.S. If you would like to read about the Wedding Feast from a guest's point of view, Karinann has a nice post here.

Reminders

The following was inspired by this very moving post by Christopher. My prayers to his family - both living and deceased.

The next time I find myself complaining about doing some sort of physical task, I will remind myself that there are plenty of people in this world who have debilitating injuries and would love to be able to fold laundry or mow a lawn.

The next time I wonder if I can squeeze a call to a friend or family member into my busy schedule, I will remind myself that there is a chance that person might not be around tomorrow.

The next time I think about putting in an extra hour in at the office, I will remember that no one, when on their deathbed, ever wishes they spent just one more hour working.

I will also remember that, when on that same bed, no one ever wishes for more money. They wish for more time.

The next time I feel hungry, I will remind myself that there are people in this world that wonder if they will eat at all today. Or even this week.

The next time I get annoyed that I have to fix something in my house, I will remember that some people only have a cardboard box between them and the elements. And 20 degree air hurts.

The next time I wonder how long mass is going to run, I will remind myself that there are many people on this earth that fear for their lives every time they step into a church. And they go anyway.

The next time I find myself whispering a hymn at that same mass, I will remind myself of this gentleman.

The next time I think I have a difficult decision to make I will remind myself about the decision Mary and Joseph had to make, the decision the Apostles had to make, and the decision Jesus had to make.

The next time I wonder if I can really do something to promote God's Kingdom, I will remind myself what a few fishermen and tax collectors did. Many without an education. Or the internet.

The next time I feel nervous about anything, I will remind myself what Jesus must have felt like at the Last Supper.

And the next time I wonder how much God really loves me, I will remind myself to look at the nearest crucifix.

God Bless.

Need Another Reason to Keep Blogging?

When I started this blog, I did so hoping that in some very small way I could help promote God's Kingdom in the digital world.

Our Holy Father apparently agrees. Check out this article at the CNA.

Pope Benedict XVI said "I appeal to you: bear witness to your faith through the digital world!"

That's enough motivation for me! And to all of you that are much better at this than I am - keep up the great work!

God Bless all of you.

P.S. On that topic, I just recently signed up for Twitter. You can join me at @reachparadise or just read my recent "tweets" in the right hand corner of my blog. Hey, the Pope already beat me to YouTube ... I can't let him out-tweet me too!

Many Thanks To Booklady

A special thanks to Booklady for giving me my first ever Blog Award! I am honored to receive it, but even more honored that she enjoys my posts. Thanks again Booklady!

Apparently there are rules to accepting this award and they are:

1) Put the Lemonade Award logo on your blog or post.
2) Nominate at least 10 blogs that show great attitude or gratitude.
3) Link to your nominees within your post.
4) Let the nominees know that they have received this award by commenting on their blog.
5) Share the love and link to the person from whom you received your award.


That being said, I am passing this award onto the following Blessed Blogs - in no particular order (note: descriptions of blogs are in my words, not the owner's)

1) Happy to be Catholic: A wonderful blog - I learn (and remember) so much by spending time here. Very well written to boot.

2) Charli and Me: The first word that comes to mind when I think of Carol's blog is "happy". Her posts mix the everyday with the Holy and never fail to make me smile.

3) My Catholic Oasis: Anne has such love for Christ, and her posts are so heartfelt, that she always inspires me.

4) Simply Catholic: Darcee posts her thoughts on daily life with a Catholic lens. I enjoy reflecting on her posts.

5) Happy Catholic: Julie's blog is very informative, and mixes fact, with photo, with humor.

6) OSV Daily Take: This is where I go to get my Catholic news fix. The team there does a great job of passing it on (and providing some great perspective on it)

Of course, I would add Booklady to that list as well. My list of Spiritual books to read grows exponentially thanks to her!

May God Bless all of you - keep spreading His word!

God's Plan for Us

Carol has a wonderful post today over at Charli and Me.

She quoted a reflection from Bishop Ken Untener that offers an excellent view of our role in God's plan. The ending, in particular, was an eye opener:

We cannot do everything, and there is a sense of liberation in realizing that.
This enables us to do something, and to do it very well.
It may be incomplete, but it is a beginning, a step along the way,
an opportunity for God's grace to enter and do the rest.
We may never see the end result, but that is the difference
between the master builder and the worker.
We are workers, not Master Builders, ministers, not Messiahs.
We are prophets of a future not our own. Amen

I often wonder if what I am doing for God is "enough" or "the right thing", mainly because the results are often unseen. But Bishop Untener puts things in the proper perspective. We should stop worrying about the "how much" and keep doing what we do best. God has given us all a role in His master plan and our goal should be to execute that role as best we can.

It reminds me of a comment I heard a few weeks ago. A visiting priest told us to remember that God puts everyone right where he wants them to help promote his Kingdom. Our role might not be to preach to the masses or lead a religious community. Instead, our role might be to just change one person's life, or one family members perspective. That might be God's calling for us, and He has chosen other folks to take care of other tasks.

Thanks again, Carol, for sharing that post. And keep up the great blog!

God Bless.

Hello Fellow Catholic Bloggers!

Since I started this blog, I’ve been looking for somewhere to meet other Catholic Bloggers.

I came across this Catholic Blog Aggregator called St. Blog’s Parish Directory. I registered my blog and as of October 25th, I’m officially in!

I decided to start by checking out the other blogs that were posted on the same day.

South Dakota Catholic has an interesting post about the election and abortion. Kim goes into more detail than I did in my post, and really outlines the evil of abortion. Great job!

OSV Daily Take also has some posts about the election and abortion. This one in particular gives me great pause. John points out the trouble Catholic Bishops will face with the increasing number of prominent pro-choice Catholics that may take center stage in our government. I fear that they will be a terrible influence on other Catholics.

Musings at 85 has a wonderful post about how to pray for Obama. The election is over, and we cannot change that. So now as Catholics, it is important to pray that Obama will lead us as God would want. Thank you for this post Dorothy.

Its nice to see others trying to spread God’s word - each offering a unique perspective on things.

God Bless all of you.