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Prayer

On the Inside; On the Outside


 
Sep 09 2012
Love0

Be Opened!

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The past couple of months have been crazy at our house. We had been preparing to send off our twins to college, so we had a whole bunch of errands and things to do to get them ready. So now, we all three of our sons in college – in three different states, and my wife Stephanie and I find ourselves alone again.

Around the same time, the Beloit College Mindset List came out for the Class of 2016, the same year as our twins entering college. This is a non-scientific report that comes out every year to remind teachers that college freshmen see the world in a much different way than you and I.  Here are some of the facts: Read More

Jul 19 2012
Love0

The Burdens We Carry

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Are you tired? Are the worries of life slowing you down? Is there a heavy weight upon your shoulders? Then today’s Gospel reading from Matthew should be of interest to you:

“Come to me, all you who are weary and find life burdensome, and I will refresh you.”

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Jul 05 2012
Love0

Refreshed on a Hot Summer Day

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It’s the fifth of July, and it’s going to be another hot summer day. After surviving a scorching July 4th of 102 degrees, it should be interesting how this day will shape up. Temperatures are climbing again, forecasted to be around 103 degrees or so, with high humidity. It is very important to stay hydrated, and to begin the day on the right foot. Read More

Jun 12 2012
Love0

Prayer for Frustrated Catholics

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This was printed in America Magazine, written by Fr. James Martin, S.J.

Dear God, sometimes I get so frustrated with your church.

I know that I’m not alone.  So many people who love your church feel frustrated with the Body of Christ on earth.  Priests and deacons, and brothers and sisters, can feel frustrated, too.  And I’ll bet that even bishops and popes feel frustrated.  We grow worried and concerned and bothered and angry and sometimes scandalized because your divine institution, our home, is filled with human beings who are sinful.  Just like me. Read More
Apr 30 2012
Love0

Do I Really Know the Shepherd?

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Of the many images in John’s Gospel, probably one of the most descriptive is that of Jesus as the Good Shepherd. For like a shepherd, Jesus is concerned with the welfare and care of his sheep.

Jesus tells us that sheep follow the shepherd because “they recognize his voice.” In other words, sheep become used to a particular shepherd and the sound of his voice, and so come to trust him – and that gives them a sense of security. Read More

Apr 05 2012
Love0

The Easter Triduum

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The Easter Triduum, the “Three Days”, is the celebration of the Christian Passover. Just as our Jewish ancestors gathered annually to remember the events of their release from slavery in Egypt, so too, we gather to celebrate our Passover from death to life in Christ. The Triduum is at the heart and soul of our Christian faith, commemorating the triumph of God’s love over darkness and death. It’s the fullest ritual expression of what it means to be a Christian. In our reliving and remembering, we’re renewed and reborn along with the newly initiated members of our community. Read More

Mar 10 2012
Love0

Christ in Us

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This reflection comes from Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis:
 
A live body is not one that never gets hurt, but one that can to some extent repair itself. In the same way a Christian is not a man who never goes wrong, but a man who is enabled to repent and pick himself up and begin over again after each stumble – because the Christ-life is inside him, repairing him all the time, enabling him to repeat (in some degree) the kind of voluntary death which Christ himself carried out. Read More
Feb 23 2012
Love0

Lent Begins

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Ash Wednesday officially begins our Lenten season. Growing up, we were told to do certain things, to act in certain ways, and to fast on certain days.  But we often forget as we get older what Lent is all about.
Here is a link to some good information from Our Sunday Visitor: Read More
Feb 14 2012
Love0

It’s All for the Glory of God

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Sometimes, all of us get wrapped up in our own little world. We become self-absorbed, and we want to hang onto our God-given gifts because they’re ours.  Here is a little prayer that will hopefully help break this “it’s all about me” syndrome.
 
Touch your forehead, mouth, heart and hands as you say this: Read More