faith | Deacon Allen Tatara Catholic Speaker - Part 8
On the Inside; On the Outside
There’s a story about a priest and his friend, a soap maker, who were out taking a walk. The soap maker said, “What good is religion? What good is Jesus? Look at all the trouble and misery in the world. People fight. People steal, People kill. People hate. After thousands of years of talking about goodness, truth, and peace – after all the prayers, homilies and teachings, things haven’t gotten any better.”
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As you got up this morning, I watched you and hoped you would talk to me even if it was just a few words, asking my opinion or thanking me for something good that happened in your life yesterday – but I noticed you were too busy to find the right outfit to put on and wear. I waited again.
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If It Weren’t for Bad Luck…
Posted by Deacon Allen | Emotions/Feelings, Everyday Life, Prayer | No CommentsAs the saying goes, “If it weren’t for bad luck, I’d have no luck at all.”
The Epiphany of the Lord has always been a big deal in my household. This Christian feast is traditionally observed on January 6th – which also is my date of birth. Needless to say, I was not particularly thrilled when the church decided to move the observance of Epiphany to the first Sunday of January. Despite that move, I continue to celebrate the traditional Epiphany day on January 6th every year.
‘Twas the rush before Christmas, when all through the house,
I was stirring like crazy trying to wrap my wife’s blouse.
The stockings were crooked, the house was disjointed,
If Santa were to come, he’d be very disappointed.
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Surprise! We Are All Pregnant!
Posted by Deacon Allen | Discipleship, Emotions/Feelings, Everyday Life | No CommentsI believe that there are two types of people in this world: those who like surprises and those who don’t. I, for one, do not like surprises. And I think the reason why is that the surprise usually doesn’t end well for me. Let me give you a perfect example.
It was a cold, crisp December morning as I ventured down the stairs to follow my weekly routine of watching Saturday morning cartoons. A commercial came on the air, and it was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen…it was the Big Jim Sports Camper. It was the coolest toy ever! It included a boat, camping gear, and a bunch of manly accessories that a boy could only dream about. I swear that I heard angels singing when it came on the TV; and at the moment I knew, that is what I wanted most for Christmas. Read More
Once upon a time there was a peasant woman, and a very wicked woman she was. When the woman died, she did not leave a single good deed behind.
The devil caught her and plunged her into a lake of fire. So, her guardian angel stood and wondered what good deed of hers he could remember to tell God. “She once pulled up an onion in her garden,” said the angel, “and gave it to a beggar woman.” And God answered, “You take that onion then, hold it out to her in the lake, and let her take hold and be pulled out. And if you pull her out of the lake, let her come to paradise, but if the onion breaks, then the woman must stay where she is.”
The angel ran to the woman and held out the onion to her. “Come,” said he, “catch hold and I’ll pull you out.” And he began cautiously pulling her out. He had just pulled her out when the other sinners in the lake, seeing how she was being drawn out, began catching hold of her so as to be pulled out with her. But she was a very wicked woman, and she began kicking them. “I’m to be pulled out, not you. It’s my onion, not yours.” As soon as she said this, the onion broke. The woman fell back into the lake – and she is burning there to this day.
So, the angel wept and went away.
Remember, you get what you give. The more good deeds that you could do in your life, the more fulfilling your life is going to be, and your Father in heaven will rejoice.
Give and gifts will be given to you; a good measure, packed together, shaken down, and overflowing, will be poured into your lap. For the measure with which you measure will in return be measured out to you. ~Luke 6:38