Cry Out To God

O LORD, the God who saves me,

day and night I cry out before you.

May my prayer come before you;

turn your ear to my cry.

I call to you, O LORD, every day;

I spread out my hands to you.

(Psalm 88:1-2,9)

Our Father

A Sparrow's Faith

"Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten by God."

(Luke 12:6)

I'm just a little Sparrow

I have no pedigree

I'm rarely ever noticed

But the Lord is watching me

He gave me a coat of feathers

'Tis very plain I know

Without a speck of color

For it wasn't made for show

It keeps me warm in winter,

Protects me from the rain

Were it trimmed in gold or silver,

Perhaps would make me vain

I have no barn or storehouse

I neither sow nor reap

God gives my daily portion,

With never a seed to keep

There are many other Sparrows

All over the world they're found

And my Father always knows

When one falls to the ground

I'm only one little Sparrow

A bird of low degree

I know my Father's love

Dost thou know His love for thee?

The Path of Life

"You have made known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand."

~Psalm 16:11

Doctor's Advice

Forty Days of Prayer for America

Father, God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob,

Your Word declares that if we, Your people, who are called by Your

name, will humble ourselves and pray and seek Your face and turn

from our wicked ways, then will You hear from heaven and You will

forgive our sin and will heal our land. (2 Chronicles

7:14)

We bow before Your sacred throne and humbly ask Your

forgiveness for the sin of idolatry! Your word demands; “Thou shalt

have no other gods before Me”, yet we have, under the banner of

pluralism and hedonism, embraced and worshipped the gods of

this world. Take us back to the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob!

(Exodus 20:3)

Through moral and spiritual compromise and complacency, we have

allowed our nation to conform to the ways of the world by turning

away from our spiritual roots found in Your Word. (Romans 12:2)

Our silence has produced a secular nation and all nations that forget

You, shall be forsaken. We ask that You hear our cry, for we need

You, in these desperate times, to lead us out of our politically correct

fog of constant confusion and take us back to Your moral clarity.

(Psalm 9:17)

O Lord our God, King of the Universe, we confess that America

cannot survive without Your presence. Your statutes founded this

blessed land and we look to You, Father God, to preserve it, for

“Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord.” (Psalm

33:12)

As commanded in scripture, we pray for all who are in authority

who govern our nation; may their decisions be led by the perfect

compass of your Holy Word which clearly discerns right from wrong.

(I Timothy 2:1-3)

O Lord our God, You have promised to raise up righteous leaders

into high places and to remove those who have displayed unrighteous

authority. We earnestly pray that You will once again exalt the

righteous and expose the deeds of the ungodly. (Proverbs

14:33-35)

America must have spiritual renewal for moral survival! In this

season of prayer, we unite in humble heartfelt hope and ask that You

forgive us and deliver us from the folly of our transgressions. Guide

and sustain our nation as we turn from our sin and return to You,

the God of our fathers. (Psalm 51:1-17)

The time has come to declare our trust in You to heal our land. (2

Samuel 22:2-4; Psalm 5:11-12; Psalm 57:1-3)

We pledge to exercise our God given rights of “life, liberty and the

pursuit of happiness” in voting for future leaders from the county

courthouse to the White House who obey and honor Your Word.

(Deuteronomy 28:1-14; Psalm 119:44-48; Psalm5:11)

We pledge to vote the Bible in selecting those that will govern our

country. (Deuteronomy 16:18-20)

Blessed are you, O Lord our God, for You are good and Your mercy

endures forever. We petition heaven with our united prayers as we

seek Your blessing, Your peace and Your protection for America. (I

Chronicles 16:34; Numbers 6:22-26; Romans 15:13;

Psalm 5:11)

May the Lord our God, be with us, as He was with our forefathers;

may He not leave us or forsake us; so that He may incline our hearts

to Himself, to walk in all His ways... that all peoples of the earth may

know that the Lord is God and that there is no other. (1 Kings 8:57-60)

Amen

Feast of St. Pio of Pietrelcina (Padre Pio)

Beloved Padre Pio, today I come to add my prayer to the thousands of prayers offered to you every day by those who love and venerate you. They ask for cures and healings, earthly and spiritual blessings, and peace for body and mind. And because of your friendship with the Lord, he heals those you ask to be healed, and forgives those you forgive.

Through your visible wounds of the Cross, which you bore for 50 years, you were chosen in our time to glorify the crucified Jesus. Because the Cross has been replaced by other symbols, please help us to bring it back in our midst, for we acknowledge it is the only true sign of salvation.

As we lovingly recall the wounds that pierced your hands, feet and side, we not only remember the blood you shed in pain, but your smile, and the invisible halo of sweet smelling flowers that surrounded your presence, the perfume of sanctity.

Padre Pio, may the healings of the sick become the testimony that the Lord has invited you to join the holy company of Saints. In your kindness, please help me with my own special request: (mention here your petition, and make the sign of the Cross).

Bless me and my loved ones. In the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.

Amen

God's Providence watches over us always

"By the word of the LORD were the heavens made,

their starry host by the breath of his mouth.

He gathers the waters of the sea into jars;

he puts the deep into storehouses.

Let all the earth fear the LORD;

let all the people of the world revere him.

For he spoke, and it came to be;

he commanded, and it stood firm."

~Psalm 33:6-9

Pope to young people, what counts is faith, not worldly "security"

Dear friends, I encourage you to strengthen your faith in God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. You are the future of society and of the Church! As the Apostle Paul wrote to the Christians of Colossae, it is vital to have roots, a solid foundation! This is particularly true today. Many people have no stable points of reference on which to build their lives, and so they end up deeply insecure.”

“There is a growing mentality of relativism, which holds that everything is equally valid, that truth and absolute points of reference do not exist. But this way of thinking does not lead to true freedom, but rather to instability, confusion and blind conformity to the fads of the moment. As young people, you are entitled to receive from previous generations solid points of reference to help you to make choices and on which to build your lives: like a young plant which needs solid support until it can sink deep roots and become a sturdy tree capable of bearing fruit.”.

“There is a moment, when we are young, - continues Benedict XVI - when each of us wonders: what meaning does my life have? What purpose and direction should I give to it? This is a very important moment, and it can worry us, perhaps for some time. We start wondering about the kind of work we should take up, the kind of relationships we should establish, the friendships we should cultivate... Here, once more, I think of my own youth. I was somehow aware quite early on that the Lord wanted me to be a priest. Then later, after the war, when I was in the seminary and at university on the way towards that goal, I had to recapture that certainty. I had to ask myself: is this really the path I was meant to take? Is this really God’s will for me? Will I be able to remain faithful to him and completely at his service? A decision like this demands a certain struggle. It cannot be otherwise. But then came the certainty: this is the right thing! Yes, the Lord wants me, and he will give me strength. If I listen to him and walk with him, I become truly myself. What counts is not the fulfilment of my desires, but of his will. In this way life becomes authentic”.

“You are “planted and built up in Jesus Christ, firm in the faith” (cf. Col 2:7). The Letter from which these words are taken was written by Saint Paul in order to respond to a specific need of the Christians in the city of Colossae. That community was threatened by the influence of certain cultural trends that were turning the faithful away from the Gospel. Our own cultural context, dear young people, is not unlike that of the ancient Colossians. Indeed, there is a strong current of secularist thought that aims to make God marginal in the lives of people and society by proposing and attempting to create a “paradise” without him. Yet experience tells us that a world without God becomes a “hell”: filled with selfishness, broken families, hatred between individuals and nations, and a great deficit of love, joy and hope. On the other hand, wherever individuals and nations accept God’s presence, worship him in truth and listen to his voice, then the civilization of love is being built, a civilization in which the dignity of all is respected, and communion increases, with all its benefits. Yet some Christians allow themselves to be seduced by secularism or attracted by religious currents that draw them away from faith in Jesus Christ. There are others who, while not yielding to these enticements, have simply allowed their faith to grow cold, with inevitable negative effects on their moral lives.

To those Christians influenced by ideas alien to the Gospel the Apostle Paul spoke of the power of Christ’s death and resurrection. This mystery is the foundation of our lives and the centre of Christian faith. All philosophies that disregard it and consider it “foolishness” (1 Cor 1:23) reveal their limitations with respect to the great questions deep in the hearts of human beings. As the Successor of the Apostle Peter, I too want to confirm you in the faith (cf. Lk 22:32). We firmly believe that Jesus Christ offered himself on the Cross in order to give us his love. In his passion, he bore our sufferings, took upon himself our sins, obtained forgiveness for us and reconciled us with God the Father, opening for us the way to eternal life. Thus we were freed from the thing that most encumbers our lives: the slavery of sin. We can love everyone, even our enemies, and we can share this love with the poorest of our brothers and sisters and all those in difficulty”.

“Dear young people, - the message concludes - the Church depends on you! She needs your lively faith, your creative charity and the energy of your hope. Your presence renews, rejuvenates and gives new energy to the Church. That is why World Youth Days are a grace, not only for you, but for the entire People of God.”

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--Vatican City (Asia News)

Feast of Saint Matthew, Apostle and Evangelist

Jesus saw him through the eyes of mercy and chose him

Jesus saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax office, and he said to him: Follow me. Jesus saw Matthew, not merely in the usual sense, but more significantly with his merciful understanding of men.

He saw the tax collector and, because he saw him through the eyes of mercy and chose him, he said to him: Follow me. This following meant imitating the pattern of his life – not just walking after him. St. John tells us: Whoever says he abides in Christ ought to walk in the same way in which he walked.

And he rose and followed him. There is no reason for surprise that the tax collector abandoned earthly wealth as soon as the Lord commanded him. Nor should one be amazed that neglecting his wealth, he joined a band of men whose leader had, on Matthew’s assessment, no riches at all. Our Lord summoned Matthew by speaking to him in words. By an invisible, interior impulse flooding his mind with the light of grace, he instructed him to walk in his footsteps. In this way Matthew could understand that Christ, who was summoning him away from earthly possessions, had incorruptible treasures of heaven in his gift.

As he sat at table in the house, behold many tax collectors and sinners came and sat down with Jesus and his disciples. This conversion of one tax collector gave many men, those from his own profession and other sinners, an example of repentance and pardon. Notice also the happy and true anticipation of his future status as apostle and teacher of the nations. No sooner was he converted than Matthew drew after him a whole crowd of sinners along the same road to salvation. He took up his appointed duties while still taking his first steps in the faith, and from that hour he fulfilled his obligation and thus grew in merit. To see a deeper understanding of the great celebration Matthew held at his house, we must realise that he not only gave a banquet for the Lord at his earthly residence, but far more pleasing was the banquet set in his own heart which he provided through faith and love. Our Saviour attests to this: Behold I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me.

On hearing Christ’s voice, we open the door to receive him, as it were, when we freely assent to his promptings and when we give ourselves over to doing what must be done. Christ, since he dwells in the hearts of his chosen ones through the grace of his love, enters so that he might eat with us and we with him. He ever refreshes us by the light of his presence insofar as we progress in our devotion to and longing for the things of heaven. He himself is delighted by such a pleasing banquet.

-- St Bede the Venerable

Go Sell Everything.... And You Will Have Treasures In Heaven!

The words of Scripture are like seeds. Given the right environment, they can grow and bear fruit far beyond expectations. We hear the Gospel every Sunday, while some almost everyday, but how many of us take the words of Christ seriously?

One Sunday Mass, a wealthy twenty-year old was struck by one verse from Matthew's Gospel: "If you wish to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give it to the poor, and you will have treasures in heaven. Then come, follow me." (Matthew 19:21) Moved to take this command literally, the young man promptly gave his property and money to the local people and the poor, retaining only a little to support himself and his sister.

The next time he went to church, another verse spoke to him: "Do not worry about tomorrow" (Matthew 6:34) With that, he took a leap of faith. After making provision for his sister, he gave everything left to the poor, moved into an isolated hut where he could devote himself to prayer and supported himself by making simple household items.

For many years the man lived alone and in poverty. Yet he continued to receive more and more of God's life. In time his reputation attracted others, and they joined him in his way of life. By the time he died, eighty-five years after acting on that first life-changing word of Scripture, his work had renewed the entire church. Today, we honour this man as St. Anthony of the Desert (A.D. 251-356), the father of monasticism, one of Christianity's most effective guides to prayer life, and probably our greatest examples of humble love for Jesus.

St. Anthony took just a little of the Scriptures to heart, and more was given to him. With childlike faith and simple trust, he gave the Lord an ounce of his heart, and God gave him tons of His heart in return. Let even a little of the Scriptures take root in you, and more will be given to you as well.

"Holy Spirit, thank you for speaking to me through Scripture. May you bring your word to life in all the people that seek you."

Papal Visit to the UK

Pope Benedict XVI wears a shawl made of the St Ninian's Day Tartan, a special plaid designed for the pontiff's trip to Scotland, while travelling along Princes Street in Edinburgh September 16, 2010.

Pope Benedict XVI waves to crowds as he is driven by popemobile along Princes Street, with Edinburgh Castle seen behind, in Edinburgh, Scotland on September 16, 2010. Pope Benedict XVI urged all parties involved in Northern Ireland to work for a 'just and lasting peace' in his first speech of an historic state visit to Britain on Thursday.

Papal Visit to the UK (Mass in Bellahouston Park, Glasgow)

Pope Benedict XVI celebrates a mass during the first day of a four day visit to Britain at Bellahouston Park, Glasgow, Scotland, Thursday Sept. 16, 2010.

Our Lady Of Sorrows

Beneath the cross the Mother kept

Bleak vigil under darkened skies.

Upon the cross her Son hung nailed,

Stabbed through by crowds of hostile eyes.

"And your own soul a sword shall pierce,"

The old man in the Temple said,

The Spirit's sword, the word of God -

God's word be done, was all she said.

Upon the cross the Savior died;

Beneath, the Mother bowed her head;

Above the storm broke harsh and wild -

God's word be done, was all she said.

A soldier came and thrust him through;

The blood and water proved him dead.

They laid his body in her arms -

God's word be done, was all she said.

At vigil's end, the Crucified

Arose from death her glorious Lord.

Prayer:

O God, when your Son was hung high on the cross

you willed that his Mother should stand by him and suffer with him.

Grant to your Church that she may share, through Mary, in Christ’s passion

and deserve to share also in his resurrection.

Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,

who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,

God for ever and ever.

Amen

Feast of the Triumph (Exaltation) of the Holy Cross

"Here, on the Cross, I will meet you."

Here, in suffering, I will meet you.

Here, in pain, I will meet you.

Here, in separation from the earth, I will meet you.

Here, in the loss of all worldly glory, I will meet you.

Here, in complete self-sacrifice, I will meet you.

Here, in the rejection of your own will, I will meet you.

Here, in perfect obedience, I will meet you.

Here, in the restraint of your members, I will meet you.

Here, when you are mocked and derided by all, I will meet you.

Here, when you are slandered by all, I will meet you.

Here, when in the eyes of the world you have utterly failed, I will meet you.

Here, in the affliction of your mortal body, I will meet you.

Here, in the abandonment which has come to you because of sin, I will meet you, and even in the depths of hades, I will meet you.

In death itself, I will meet you, and have met you, and will never for all eternity be parted from you who believe in Me Crucified and Risen from the dead."

O wonderful cross, upon whose branches hung the treasure and redemption of captive men, through you the world is redeemed by the blood of the Lord.

Hail, O cross, consecrated by the body of Christ, whose limbs, like precious jewels, adorn your wooden timbers. Through you the world is redeemed by the blood of the Lord.

O God, you willed that your only-begotten Son should suffer the cross to bring salvation to the human race.

Grant us, we pray you,

that just as we have come to know his mystery on earth,

so we may deserve to receive in heaven the fruits of his redemption.

Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,

who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,

God for ever and ever.

Amen

For me, life means Christ, and death is gain

The waters have risen and severe storms are upon us, but we do not fear drowning, for we stand firmly upon a rock. Let the sea rage, it cannot break the rock. Let the waves rise, they cannot sink the boat of Jesus. What are we to fear? Death? Life to me means Christ, and death is gain. Exile? ‘The earth and its fullness belong to the Lord. The confiscation of goods? We brought nothing into this world, and we shall surely take nothing from it. I have only contempt for the world’s threats, I find its blessings laughable. I have no fear of poverty, no desire for wealth. I am not afraid of death nor do I long to live, except for your good. I concentrate therefore on the present situation, and I urge you, my friends, to have confidence.

Do you not hear the Lord saying: Where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I in their midst? Will he be absent, then, when so many people united in love are gathered together? I have his promise; I am surely not going to rely on my own strength! I have what he has written; that is my staff, my security, my peaceful harbour. Let the world be in upheaval. I hold to his promise and read his message; that is my protecting wall and garrison. What message? Know that I am with you always, until the end of the world!

If Christ is with me, whom shall I fear? Though the waves and the sea and the anger of princes are roused against me, they are less to me than a spider’s web. Indeed, unless you, my brothers, had detained me, I would have left this very day. For I always say “Lord, your will be done”; not what this fellow or that would have me do, but what you want me to do. That is my strong tower, my immovable rock, my staff that never gives way. If God wants something, let it be done! If he wants me to stay here, I am grateful. But wherever he wants me to be, I am no less grateful.

Yet where I am, there you are too, and where you are, I am. For we are a single body, and the body cannot be separated from the head nor the head from the body. Distance separates us, but love unites us, and death itself cannot divide us. For though my body die, my soul will live and be mindful of my people.

You are my fellow citizens, my fathers, my brothers, my sons, my limbs, my body. You are my light, sweeter to me than the visible light. For what can the rays of the sun bestow on me that is comparable to your love? The sun’s light is useful in my earthly life, but your love is fashioning a crown for me in the life to come.

- A sermon by St John Chrysostom

Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Come, all you faithful, let us hasten to the Virgin:
for long before her conception in the womb,
the one who was to be born of the stem of Jesse
was destined to be the Mother of God.
The one who is the treasury of virginity,
the flowering Rod of Aaron,
the object of the prophecies,
the child of Joachim and Anne,
is born today and the world is renewed in her.
Through her birth,
she floods the church with her splendor.
O holy Temple,
Vessel of the Godhead,
Model of virgins
and Strength of kings:
in you the wondrous union
of the two natures of Christ was realized.
We worship Him
and glorify your most pure birth,
and we magnify you.

He Called His Disciples To Himself. (Luke 6:13)

Imagine Jesus coming down the mountain after a night of deep prayer. It is early dawn and his disciples have waited patiently for his return. He gathers them around him, and then one by one calls out the names of the twelve men who will be his apostles.

And how these twelve men must have felt as they heard their names being called out. Surprised? Excited? Intimidated? Overwhelmed? They surely didn't know exactly what this calling would entail, but they did know that it involved a mission of some sort since the word 'apostle' means 'one who is sent' or rather a 'messenger'

Have you ever been selected for a task that you felt intimidated by and unequipped to fulfill? Perhaps you were surprised that you were called, or felt that surely someone else was more qualified than you. Maybe you were asked to lead a Bible study group or a ministry at your parish. Or perhaps it was something that came to you unexpectedly, like having a child with special needs or an elderly parent who required constant care. Whatever it maybe, remember that when God chooses us, he also equips us. He never fails to give us all the grace we need to carry out his call. Do you believe this?

Unfortunately, it's easy to doubt God's power in our lives. Even the apostles had their moments of doubt and confusion. But at Pentecost, when they received the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, they were filled with the power they needed to preach the Good News. And look at what they accomplished!

If today, you are feeling overwhelmed by your vocation, pause awhile and take a deep breath. Think about the apostles and the day of Pentecost. Think about Mary too, and the way she surrendered to God's call. Ask the Holy Spirit to give you greater confidence in his presence. He likes helping you! He loves it when you turn to him, and is more than happy to give you all you need to carry out your call.

Jesus Loved Pleasant Times

Cannibals in New Guinea invited a priest to visit under a truce. They had heard about Jesus. They wanted to see what influence He had on his life. The priest was gloomy. He never smiled. They decided to forget about Christ. They concluded that once the truce was over, they would not eat the priest. His tough hide would cause them heartburn.

Hilaire Belloc wrote: "Wherever the Catholic sun does shine, there is always laughter and good red wine."

We are told it takes seventeen face muscles to smile but forty-three to frown. Laughter is the only tranquilizer yet developed that has no side effects. Our expression is the most important garment we wear. Yet, how many of us know fellow-Christians who never smile? They walk about with an eternal frown on their face. They are people one avoids. Undertakers on the job are happier looking than they.

In the parable of the wedding banquet (Mt 22:1-14), Jesus reminds His Jewish audience that when the Messiah comes, they will enjoy a first class sit down supper. The menu is alluded to in Isaiah 25: "juicy red food and pure choice wines." Notice not wine but wines. White with the lobster and red with the filet mignon. It will be the mother of all parties. This is one six star banquet weight watchers should avoid.

Jesus compares living in His company to the equivalent of a party. His Church should be a happy place. To sign on with Him should be as great an occasion as going to a banquet filled with warm laughter, prime ribs, aged wines, chocolate-dipped strawberries, and brandy from Napoleon's cellar.

We should remind ourselves of this wedding parable. Often the charge against the Church is it removes joie de vivre from life. Many argue the Gospels have them do the deeds which they dislike and avoid the activities which they want to perform.

Honestly speaking, I dislike those banal prints picturing Jesus laughing His head off, but they touch upon a truth. He could not have been gloomy. Firstly, children were constantly pestering Him. Kids avoid sad sacks. Secondly, had He disliked parties, would He have walked many miles to the Cana wedding reception? The record suggests He was so anxious to get to that party He crashed it. Thirdly, because He went to so many parties, His enemies called Him "a glutton and wine drinker." (Mt 11:19) Fourthly, had He been a spoilsport, why would He have hosted a gourmet supper party the night before His death? Would you have the heart to play grip and grin host at your last supper? No ways!!

The conclusion is Jesus loved pleasant times, loud laughter, and good red wine. He loved to party hearty.

His puckish sense of humor caused this young Asiatic Jew to use amusing illustrations, puns, and jokes. He spoke them with a full smile. It is a pity we don't have Him on video tape in living color. His stories raised a chuckle, even a giggle, on the part of His spellbound audience. His patter was homey and earthy. The Gospels tell us that Jesus often went into the mountains alone. Why? GK Chesterton speculates the apostles made funny, even ridiculous remarks. He did not want to offend them by laughing in their faces. So, He ran into the mountains holding His sides and letting the laughter come out in steady bursts. If Jesus had given us an eighth sacrament, it might have been the Sacrament of Laughter. He would have enjoyed Locke's definition of laughter as "sudden glory."

Early Christians got the point. They were called hilares. That is the Latin adjective from which the word hilarious comes. They possessed a "certain holy hilarity." They went about their lives with a bounce in their steps and a smile on their faces. They were fun people to hang around with. They behaved as though they were forever at a party. They attracted millions of converts. The latter wanted a piece of that party. Wouldn't you? (William Barclay)

When Beethoven wrote his Ode to Joy, he might have been thinking of the joyful news of Jesus. So, smile often. Let people sense Jesus does make a serious difference in your life. Worship God on Sunday and smile with Him through the week.

The authentic way of finding joy is by focusing on the three letters of the word. J: place Jesus first. O: place others second. Y: place yourself last.

Become pro choice. Choose to save life rather than destroy it. Choose to forgive rather than curse. Choose to smile rather than frown. Blessed are the joymakers.