MY PRAYER

Heavenly Father,

Open my ears that I may hear You,
My eyes that I may see You,
My mind that I may come to know You better,
My heart that I may love You more deeply, and
My soul that I may have eternal life in Your loving caress.

Amen.

GOD IN THE STREETS

We are called to see Christ in everyone...everywhere...always...and...forever.

Sometimes, however, it is nearly impossible to recognize...to tune in to...Christ...in the person in front of us at a particular moment.

Anger...fear...sadness...misconceptions...mental illness...all these things...and more...blur the presence of Christ in the other we are encountering.

And so, we avoid....we ignore...we fight back...we lash out...in reaction to the other's behavior.

Yet, our faith is not re-active...but rather...pro-active.

Sure we will fall...sin...at times...and, we will have many excuses..."I'm tired"..."I don't feel well"..."it's not fair"..."he shouldn't have said that"..."she shouldn't have done that"..."it was supposed to be ME"...and on...and on...and on.

But, will we rise up...reconcile and move on...or...will we fall even further?

While the clip above shows Eucharistic Procession through the streets: the Real Presence of Christ in procession among us...in our everyday life, we encounter Christ in EVERYONE we meet...the good...the bad...the ugly...the infuriating.

The question is:

Will YOU recognize Him before it's too late?

Will I?

HEART OF MY OWN HEART

If you greet sunrise with God in your heart and a prayer on your lips, there is a better chance that your day will reflect God's love, mercy and justice, and you will be better able to treat others the way God would. —~ From: When Did I See You Hungry? ~


There are four things that you cannot recover in life:

(1) The Stone...........after it's thrown

(2) The Word...............after it's said

(3) The Occasion......after it's missed

and

(4) The Time............after it's gone.


So, keep God in YOUR heart...a prayer always on YOUR lips...and...a smile for EVERYONE YOU meet!

Not only will YOU become a blessing to those around YOU...YOU will be bountifully blessed in return!!



Heart of my own heart...whatever befall...still be my vision...oh Ruler of all!

THE FEAST OF SAINT FRANCIS OF ASSISI

"If you have men who will exclude any of God's creatures from the shelter of compassion and pity, you will have men who deal likewise with their fellow men." ~ Saint Francis of Assisi






"I beseech all of you, by whatever charity I can, that you show reverence and all honor to the most Holy Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ, because (in Him) all things, whether on earth or in heaven have been pacified and reconciled with Almighty God." ~ Saint Francis of Assisi

THE ANNUAL ANIMAL BLESSING

This afternoon, we will be having the Annual Blessing of the Animals in the parish. I am praying the rain will either be done or hold off until after the blessing is over. Some of our Level 7 boys and girls will assist as one of their parish service projects towards the Sacrament of Confirmation.

Over the years, we have seen many dogs, cats, rabbits, hamsters...and even...snakes. After each pet is blessed, the Level 7 boys and girls will complete a certificate for the animal...and...present it to the owner with a medal of Saint Francis of Assisi. Treats and goodies for the pets will be available as well.

In the book..."Will I See My Dog in Heaven," by Jack Wintz, OFM...Father Wintz discusses how the book has sprung forth from an article he had written for St. Anthony Messenger magazine in 2003. After the article appeared in the magazine...the following Letter to the Editor was received. From the pen of Mother Teresa of Calcutta comes sound advice for all pet owners:

[Dear editors:] I am still jumping up and down over the article about animals in heaven. All observations made by Father Jack are sound references to the fact that God loves all creation and will include all in our heavenly home.

For the past several years, I have organized a "Blessing of the Animals." In 1972, I had written to Mother Teresa [of Calcutta] to ask for a letter of support. She sent one, over her own signature, and I quote: "[Animals] too are created by the same hand of God which created us. As we humans are gifted with intelligence, which the animals lack, it is our duty to protect them and to promote their well-being. We also owe it to them as they serve us with such docility and loyalty."

I think Mother Teresa says all there is to say about the sacredness of the animal kingdom.

[From Marlene, Louisville, KY] (p17)

I think so, too.

How about YOU?