My Lord God,

I have no idea where I am going.

I do not see the road ahead of me.

I cannot know for certain when it will end.

Nor do I really know myself.

And the fact that I think I am following Your will does not mean I am actually following Your will.

But I believe that the desire to please You does in fact please You.

And I hope that I have that desire in all that I am doing.

I hope that I will never do anything apart from that desire.

And I know that if I do this You will lead me by the right road though I may know nothing about it.

Therefore, I will trust You always though I may seem to be lost and in the shadow of death.

I will not fear for You are ever with me, and You will never leave me to face my perils alone.

~ Thomas Merton ~
Thoughts in Solitude

We are now six days into a new year...SO, how are you doing with those resolutions made in the merriment of New Year's Eve?

At the beginning of each New Year, it is assumed we will look inside ourselves and make a list of flaws to be worked on...fixed...removed.

We make big plans to change, and then inevitably become overwhelmed, fall back into old patterns, and leave our best intentions at the curb.

While we should always seek to improve ourselves, our faith, our health, and our relationships, this year, I suggest we not dwell on the negative aspects of these areas of our lives...but, instead let us make a list of everything we are doing right with them.

Let our New Year's Resolution be to build upon all the goodness we already are, have, and are doing.

As we keep building...good upon good...and, taking time to recognize it, we will grow a more positive attitude, squeeze out the negatives, and leave them at the curb instead.

All-powerful God,

increase our strength of will for doing good

that Christ may find an eager welcome at his coming

and call us to his side in the kingdom of heaven

where he lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,

one God, forever and ever.

Amen.

Twenty-ten is only 6 days old...it's not too late!

I wish YOU a New Year filled with all goodness and blessings!!

Christianity is not a voice in the wilderness, but a life in the world.

It is not a idea in the air but feet on the ground, going Gods way.

It is not an exotic to be kept under glass, but a hardy plant to bear twelve months of fruits in all kinds of weather. Fidelity to duty its roots and branch.

Nothing we can say to the Lord, no calling Him by great or dear names, can take the place of the plain doing of His will.

We may cry about the duty of eating bread with Him in His kingdom, but it is wasted bread and rootless hope, unless we plant and plow in His kingdom here and now.

To remember Him at His table and to forget Him at ours, is to have invested in bad securities.

There is no substitute for plain, everyday goodness.

~Author Unknown~

THE FEAST OF CHRIST THE KING

As one liturgical year comes to an end, and another begins next week with the First Sunday of Advent, it is time to reflect...on how our relationship with Christ has grown...or weakened...over the last twelve months.

Have we kept Christ as the King of our hearts...our souls...and our lives?

Have our words and actions loving shown this truth to others?

OR...

Have we made ourselves the king...or queen...of our own universe?

Have our words and actions shown to others a love of dominance above all else?

Is it always YOUR way or the highway...in your family and professional relationships?

Can YOU bend with circumstances...or...do YOU bend circumstances to suit YOURSELF?

Do YOU always have to have the last word?

Are YOU always right...in spite of what the facts may prove?

The time is right to change that dynamic...to put Christ back where He belongs...as the King of YOUR heart...YOUR soul...and YOUR life!

Turn back to Christ...give Him back His rightful place in YOUR life...the time is NOW!

FOR DOG LOVERS

I CHOOSE TO BE HAPPY!!

My younger son and I love the television show "Monk." In this week's episode, Mr. Monk was talking with Randy Disher about how even when everyone pokes fun at him and gives him a hard time, Randy is always good natured. Randy explained that years earlier on a case, he saw a bumper sticker that read:

"CHOOSE TO BE HAPPY."

As the show went on, Mr. Monk...obsessively, obsessively compulsive...took this advice to heart...and...even after getting bad news...literally danced out of a courtroom and almost did a Fred Astaire on a bench in the hallway...all the while repeating: "I choose to be happy."

Yesterday was my 49th birthday. I always enjoy it more when a birthday falls on a weekend, because in my house that means we celebrate ALL weekend long...a veritable holiday weekend for the birthday boy or girl.

It isn't grand or expensive...just three days of doing the favorite things and eating the favorite foods of the birthday person.

In this case...ME!

And so, it was...God...family...barbecue...the arcade...relaxation...and, a triple chocolate birthday cake from my favorite bakery.

All weekend long, I kept hearing Mr. Monk repeating: "I choose to be happy." That simple phrase, became the mantra for my birthday weekend between my younger son and I.

The past few years at my house have been difficult:

illness...anger...helplessness...death...sadness...irrationality...threats...drama...and the ultimate realization that there are always those among us, who...no matter what we may say or do...cannot love or respect us...because, they simply have not yet learned how to love or respect themselves.

Today, as I begin my 50th year on earth...I am adopting Mr. Monk's motto for this next part of my life:

"I CHOOSE TO BE HAPPY!!"

To paraphrase Mother Teresa: it is never between me and THEM...it is...and...always has been...and...always will be...between me and GOD!


God wants me to be happy.


I choose to be so!


How about YOU?


God wants YOU to be happy, too!


Say it...

in your head...

out loud...

or...

dancing down the hallway, a la Fred Astaire...

but...

just say it:


"I CHOOSE TO BE HAPPY!!!"


Then...make it so!


God Bless YOU!!

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?