Tag

love | Deacon Allen Tatara Catholic Speaker - Part 14

love | Deacon Allen Tatara Catholic Speaker - Part 14

On the Inside; On the Outside


 
Aug 14 2014
Love0

When We Forgive, We Love

Posted by | Virtues | No Comments
Forgive

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

Aug 11 2014
Love0

Quote of the Week

Posted by | Quotes | No Comments

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

Aug 08 2014
Love0

Thought of the Day

Posted by | Everyday Life | No Comments

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.

Jul 27 2014
Love0

Love, Serve, Transform

Posted by | Discipleship | No Comments

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

Jul 15 2014
Love0

The Gift

Posted by | Emotions/Feelings | No Comments

The Gift

If one cannot grow, one cannot learn
the meaning of life; the gift of return.

If one cannot fly like a bird of a feather,
feelings held captive and held in forever.

If one cannot reach for a star in the sky,
dreams are left shattered and the future will die.

If one cannot say what rests on the mind,
the two doors of speech will be closed to the blind.

If one cannot feel for the strength in the air,
nearness is coldness, darkness, and fear.

For if one cannot love, one cannot live,
and grow in the Spirit and possess what you give.

(I wrote this poem on February 2, 1984.)

May 29 2014
Love0

I Am Clear of Responsibility – or Am I?

Posted by | Everyday Life | No Comments

Sometimes, things don’t always go according to plan. Sometimes, we become frustrated, disappointed, and upset. Sometimes, we think we’re doing a bang-up job when someone comes along and gives us a slap on the side of the head with a major dose of reality. This is what St. Paul encountered in Macedonia in today’s scripture reading (Acts 18:1-8). Read More

May 08 2014
Love0

Are You Excited?

Posted by | Everyday Life | No Comments

The word “excitement” means: “to be stirred or thrilled, the state of being emotionally worked up, the feeling of active and cheerful joy.” Some would say they have excitement at times, but it all depends on what they are doing, what they are “into” at the moment.

For example, many get excited at sporting events. Some will be thrilled at getting a new outfit, or a good meal out. Everybody gets excited with their gifts at Christmas or a good holiday. However, do we have that same level of excitement when it comes to God our Father? Read More

Apr 27 2014
Love0

In God We Doubt?

Posted by | Everyday Life | No Comments

Have you ever accidentally missed a big moment? It feels terrible! You got distracted right before your child scored a goal. You missed the winning touchdown because your cellphone rang. You were driving to the hospital to witness the birth of a grandchild, and the baby arrived before you did. Maybe you missed the two Popes being canonized this morning because you overslept. It’s a terrible feeling, and this is exactly how Thomas feels in today’s Gospel (John 20:19-31). Read More

Apr 19 2014
Love0

Patiently Waiting

Posted by | Virtues | No Comments

What are we waiting for?

Holy Saturday is a time of waiting, of living in the uncomfortable middle between the necessary death of Jesus and his Resurrection. It’s a day of grief and mourning, of patient waiting and hoping. It is a day of holy waiting, which requires a spirit of patience and prayerfulness. Yet, for most of us, we are so busy with Easter baking, last minute cleaning, preparing for guests, or prepping for Easter liturgies. So how can we hold onto the spirit of patience and prayerfulness in the midst of such busyness? Read More

Jan 31 2014
Love0

Can Spring Be Far Off?

Posted by | Everyday Life | No Comments

robinThis morning, I was standing in our kitchen, waiting for my tea to steep. Gazing outside the window at the cold and snowy landscape, I noticed a robin in our neighbor’s tree. How strange, I thought, to see a robin at the end of January. We usually don’t see these birds here until the weather warms up, like around early March. But there she was, just sitting in the tree and enjoying the winter morning. Read More