At the end of June, I went on a retreat – something that we as deacons are required to do. It is to take the opportunity to disconnect from our everyday lives and to reconnect with our God. So I spent five days and four nights in a private hermitage outside of Lacrosse, Wisconsin owned by the Franciscan Sisters. The hermitage was located on Solitary Ridge, and it was incredibly peaceful. It was a silent retreat for me, and I couldn’t wait to rediscover the calmness of being with the Lord. Read More
Deacon Allen | Deacon Allen Tatara Catholic Speaker - Part 32
On the Inside; On the Outside
Lord our God,
in your wisdom and love
you surround us with the mysteries of the universe.
In times long past you sent us your prophets to teach your laws
and to bear witness to your undying love.
You sent us your Son to teach us by word and example
that true wisdom comes from you alone.
Send your Spirit upon all students and their teachers
and fill them with your wisdom and blessings.
Grant that during this academic year
they may devote themselves to their studies
and share what they have learned with others.
Grant this through Christ our Lord. Amen.
There I was, starting off my Friday morning by going to the fitness center for a good workout. Although, something just didn’t feel right with me…
As I was working up a sweat, I began feeling some intense pain radiating between my front, side, and back. I decided that it would be wise to stop exercising. I also thought that it was unwise to drive home with this shooting pain, but I did it anyway. Read More
Simple Depression???
Such overwhelming joy casts me into pure depression when it crosses my mind;
bitter indulgence lies beneath my sweat-soaked surface,
and there is nothing that can control the things that are to be spoken;
wails within dig deeper, leaving behind scars of broken communication;
rid me of this deviled instinct and clear before me the path of peace the mind
so that I may dwell in the smile of life.
(Originally written July 4, 1984 – and dedicated to all who are hurting.)
wikihow.com
Why is forgiving someone so difficult? How do you forgive someone when every fiber of your being resists? How do you look at them lovingly when you still have the memory of their unloving action? How can we, as Jesus tells us, forgive our brothers and sisters from our hearts? It’s certainly not an easy task.
Today we celebrate the feast of St. Maximilian Kolbe. He is the patron of journalists, families, prisoners, the pro-life movement and the chemically addicted. And forgiveness was at the core of his very being. Read More
In the words of our Holy Father, each one of us must be able to “cleanse what is dirty, to warm what is lukewarm, to strengthen what is weak, to enlighten what is dark.” We must not be afraid to proclaim Christ’s love and to love as He loved.
~Mother Teresa
This particular phrase from Psalm 90 keeps jumping out at me every time I read it:
Make us know the shortness of our life that we may gain wisdom of heart.
I believe that its significance has to do with knowing where one is headed. In other words, our lives here on earth are very short. We need to do the right things in life – the things that we know inside our hearts that SHOULD be done. And we hope that we may gain wisdom by being attentive to our hearts by truly listening to what’s going on inside. We need to be helping others, serving others, making their needs a priority over our own needs. We need to move away from our point of view and focus on the needs and desires of others. Our society’s “me first” attitude must be put aside so that we can love and serve our neighbor, just as Jesus asks us to do. This is our baptismal calling. Life is too short not to do the right thing.
Today, we pray that God will continue to teach us, and that we are able to hear what is being taught. And that each day, we may gain wisdom from our hearts and to do what God is asking us to do. Amen.
Prayer to St. Benedict for Peace
St. Benedict, you were a man of peace.
You walked the paths of peace your whole life long and led all who came to you into the ways of peace.
Help us, St. Benedict, to achieve peace;
peace in our hearts, peace in our homes, peace in our sorely troubled world.
Through your powerful intercession with God help us to be peacemakers.
Amen.
What would you like to own more than anything else in the entire world? Would it be a sports car, a yacht, a beautiful mansion? What are these things worth to you? Jesus is telling us that following him and seeking the kingdom is worth even more than the thing we want most. As we learn more about the kingdom, the desire to attain it grows in us. We want to be in a place of perfect love and perfect peace, where there is no war or disease, no hatred or violence, no discrimination because of the color of our skin or the origin of our family, where people are respected and treated with dignity, and where all of us can live as sisters and brothers in Christ. What we need is what Solomon asked for: an understanding heart, so that we don’t judge others, but we love and serve one another and do what is right. And that’s not always an easy thing to do! Read More
Thought of the Day…
You are writing a gospel,
A chapter each day,
By deeds that you do,
By words that you say.
People read what you write,
Whether faithless or true,
Say, what is the gospel according to you?
