This past Sunday was Divine Mercy Sunday. One of my favourite Sundays of the year. It is not an official holiday or a Holy Day of Obligation, but if the world really understood what this day celebrates, it would be! I remember as a child playing a game called 'Mercy'. It's where two people clasp there hands with their fingers entwined together then when someone yells 'go', each person tries to bend back the wrist of the other person until they call 'Mercy!' When you couldn't stand the pain any longer is when you would finally yell out. Well, our souls are very similar. When they are in pain they are crying out for God's Mercy. For without it we are unable to gain eternal salvation with Him. We are sinners. Because of Adam and Eve we are born into sin. We cannot enter into the kingdom of heaven with this sin staining our souls. Because of Gods great mercy for us, He sent His only son to suffer and die on the cross so that this sin can be removed. Christ then rose from the dead to give us everlasting life! Is there any greater gift that God could have given us? Even the gift of life means nothing if after we die there is nothing more. But why did He give this to us? Why did He sacrifice His only son for us, mere sin stricken mortals? Why? Because of his bountiful mercy for us. But it is a gift we have to be willing to accept. We accept it by acknowledging our sin and asking for forgiveness. This is the beautiful part of the Sacrament of Reconciliation. It is through this sacrament that we receive the gift of mercy. Will we sin again? Probably, but Gods mercy is endless. He knows we are human but just asks that we admit our weakness and ask Him for the strength and desire to grow closer to Him. We pray "God have mercy on me a sinner!"
There is a picture I'm sure most of you have seen. It is a picture of a garden cottage and Jesus is standing at the door. However the symbolism of this picture is missed by many. If you look closely, you will see that there is no door knob on the door. Jesus is waiting for us to open the door to Him. Waiting for us to open our hearts to Him. Will you open the door and accept Gods mercy?
Grace is God giving us what we do not deserve,
Mercy is God not giving us what we do deserve.
Wednesday, April 18, 2012
Tuesday, March 27, 2012
I hate my life!
Ok, well maybe I don't hate my life, but maybe I should. This past Sunday's Gospel reading had me really thinking. Especially John 12:25 "Who ever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will preserve it for eternal life." I certainly did not understand that. I read it over and over. Then it dawned on me, "in this world" What is different about this world than Christ's heavenly kingdom world. Well, for one thing, stuff. Material things. This is what most of us live for. A nice house, an expensive car, jewelry, toys, country clubs. These are the things that we love that make us happy. I think Christ is asking us to hate that stuff. Maybe not hate, but certainly not love more than we love Him or others. We can enjoy these things but not at the expense of others. Also, we may hate our lives because of pain and suffering, trials and tribulations. The crosses that we have to carry. But these are things that can bring us closer to God. If, because of having to endure these things, we hate our lives, we can take comfort in knowing they are helping to preserve us for an eternal life with Christ free of them.
I'm not completely sure this is what Christ meant when He said what He did, but it's something worth thinking about.
I'm not completely sure this is what Christ meant when He said what He did, but it's something worth thinking about.
Friday, May 15, 2009
The Rosary
I have been working on a little project today that I have been meaning to do for a while. I have a pocket size pamphlet of how to say the rosary that I keep in my wallet, but it has seen it's better day's. I have looked for another one, but haven't found one I like as much. So today I made my own. It is about 6"x3" and slides right in my wallet. It's tri-folded and has the 3 original mysteries on it, along with all the prayers needed for saying the rosary. If you are unfamiliar with the rosary or one of those misdirected souls that thinks we as Catholics "worship" Mary by saying the rosary, please read this passage I wrote on Mary - "Mary, Christ's mother, Mary, our mother". If you would be interested in one of the pamphlets I made just let me know and I'd love to send you one. I wish I could put up a link for you to download it but I'm not computer smart enough to know how to do that. I think I can send it as an attachment though. As you can see I am still working on my spiritual block, and the rosary is a wonderful start!
Monday, May 11, 2009
Spiritual Block
I'm sure you've heard of writers block, well I'm suffering from spiritual block. I just haven't felt Gods hand in my life lately. I know it's not Him, He is always with me. But just as gunk builds up and blocks a drain, I have gunk in my life that is preventing God to be able to work in my life. I know this, Im just having a hard time eliminating it. I need some spiritual Drano. I need the Holy Spirit's help to give me the strength and courage to do what I need. I am praying, maybe not as much as I could, maybe not as sincere as I could. What ever it is I'm blaming myself, not God. He has told me He would answer my prayers, I believe Him, I just need to ask for the right things, then I need to do my part. I can't expect Him to part the Red Sea for me. My mother taught me this saying - "Pray as if everything depended upon God and work as though everything depended upon you". I need to get to work.
Friday, May 8, 2009
Sesame Noodle Salad
A friend brought this in to work and I couldn't get enough! Great dish for a Pot Luck affair.
Sesame Noodle Salad
1 lb Angel Hair Pasta (cooked al dente)
1/3-1/2 cup Tamari (Soy Sauce)
1/3-1/2 cup Sesame Oil
1/3=1/2 cup each Black and White Sesame Seeds
1/2 cup sliced green onion
1 Tblsp Hot Pepper flakes, to taste
Mix, then chill overnight. Toss and serve at room temp.
I haven't tried making it yet, so I don't know how difficult it may be to get the ingredients, but it is worth it!
Note: I have been told that the seeds are much cheaper if you can get them at an Asian grocer.
Sesame Noodle Salad
1 lb Angel Hair Pasta (cooked al dente)
1/3-1/2 cup Tamari (Soy Sauce)
1/3-1/2 cup Sesame Oil
1/3=1/2 cup each Black and White Sesame Seeds
1/2 cup sliced green onion
1 Tblsp Hot Pepper flakes, to taste
Mix, then chill overnight. Toss and serve at room temp.
I haven't tried making it yet, so I don't know how difficult it may be to get the ingredients, but it is worth it!
Note: I have been told that the seeds are much cheaper if you can get them at an Asian grocer.
Saturday, May 2, 2009
Other site
My latest inpiration has been posted on my other site. Please feel free to visit me there if you haven't already. I'll be back here soon. I have a recipe I want to post. Have a blessed day!
Sunday, March 22, 2009
Do you have your license?
"So, how do you plead?"
"Not guilty"
"Please state your case"
"Your honor, all my life I have obeyed every traffic rule. I have never sped or run a red light. I use my blinker whenever I should and I always wear my seat belt. I am even courteous in traffic. I allow others to merge in front of me and let them pull out of parking lots. I have been a model citizen behind the wheel of a car."
"May I ask you one question?"
"Yes your honor."
"Do you or do you not have your drivers license?"
"Well your honor....uh....I...."
"Well, do you?"
"Uh....no, you honor, I do not have my license."
(POUND!!) "Guilty as charged!"
"You are sentanced to a $500.00 fine"
The second reading at mass today was Eph 2:4-10
4 But God, who is rich in mercy, out of the great love with which he loved us,
5 even when we were dead through our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved),
6 and raised us up with him, and made us sit with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,
7 that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.
8 For by grace you have been saved through faith; and this is not your own doing, it is the gift of God --
9 not because of works, lest any man should boast.
10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.
There are good people on this earth, people with good morals and values, that will not be getting into heaven. They are still going to have to pay the fine. Why? They lack faith. They believe that they are earning their way into heaven, that if they are "good" people they will go to heaven. These are the devil's favorite people. Surprised? Satan is not against good works. No, he is against good works done in the name of Christ Jesus. His goal is to take the name of Jesus out of our lives. He is getting close. We have taken His name out of our government, out of our schools, out of entertainment. But when good is done for the sake of Christ then he knows he has lost.
Those doing good to get to heaven don't believe, or don't know, that Christ already earned this for us. They don't have faith. They are not living their lives for Christ. God doesn't want us boasting that one of us was a better person that the other and that should qualify us into getting into heaven. This doesn't mean He doesn't want each of us to be the best person that we can and try to live a Christ-like life. He does, but our passage into heaven has already been granted.
To obtain a drivers license we go to the granting authority, the Secretary of State, have our photo taken and pay a slight fee to get this. To obtain passage into heaven we have to go to the granting authority also, God. But the price has already been paid for us by His son Jesus Christ (and you don't have to have your picture taken!) We just have to have faith. We also have to obey the rules of this faith. Just as a drivers license doesn't give us the right to drive anyway that we please, the gift of salvation isn't our pass into heaven, living our lives anyway that we want. We still have to live our lives in a way that reflects that faith.
14What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him? 15Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. 16If one of you says to him, "Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed," but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it? 17In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.
18But someone will say, "You have faith; I have deeds."
Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do.
19You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder.
20You foolish man, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless[d]? 21Was not our ancestor Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? 22You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did. 23And the scripture was fulfilled that says, "Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,"[e] and he was called God's friend. 24You see that a person is justified by what he does and not by faith alone.
25In the same way, was not even Rahab the prostitute considered righteous for what she did when she gave lodging to the spies and sent them off in a different direction? 26As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead. James 2 14-16
My dad always told me "the road to hell is paved with good intentions". There are a lot of "good" people on this road. My prayer is that they invite Christ into their lives and accept His free gift and continue doing good, but now doing it for Him. In doing this it will put them on the highway to heaven.
"Not guilty"
"Please state your case"
"Your honor, all my life I have obeyed every traffic rule. I have never sped or run a red light. I use my blinker whenever I should and I always wear my seat belt. I am even courteous in traffic. I allow others to merge in front of me and let them pull out of parking lots. I have been a model citizen behind the wheel of a car."
"May I ask you one question?"
"Yes your honor."
"Do you or do you not have your drivers license?"
"Well your honor....uh....I...."
"Well, do you?"
"Uh....no, you honor, I do not have my license."
(POUND!!) "Guilty as charged!"
"You are sentanced to a $500.00 fine"
The second reading at mass today was Eph 2:4-10
4 But God, who is rich in mercy, out of the great love with which he loved us,
5 even when we were dead through our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved),
6 and raised us up with him, and made us sit with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,
7 that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.
8 For by grace you have been saved through faith; and this is not your own doing, it is the gift of God --
9 not because of works, lest any man should boast.
10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.
There are good people on this earth, people with good morals and values, that will not be getting into heaven. They are still going to have to pay the fine. Why? They lack faith. They believe that they are earning their way into heaven, that if they are "good" people they will go to heaven. These are the devil's favorite people. Surprised? Satan is not against good works. No, he is against good works done in the name of Christ Jesus. His goal is to take the name of Jesus out of our lives. He is getting close. We have taken His name out of our government, out of our schools, out of entertainment. But when good is done for the sake of Christ then he knows he has lost.
Those doing good to get to heaven don't believe, or don't know, that Christ already earned this for us. They don't have faith. They are not living their lives for Christ. God doesn't want us boasting that one of us was a better person that the other and that should qualify us into getting into heaven. This doesn't mean He doesn't want each of us to be the best person that we can and try to live a Christ-like life. He does, but our passage into heaven has already been granted.
To obtain a drivers license we go to the granting authority, the Secretary of State, have our photo taken and pay a slight fee to get this. To obtain passage into heaven we have to go to the granting authority also, God. But the price has already been paid for us by His son Jesus Christ (and you don't have to have your picture taken!) We just have to have faith. We also have to obey the rules of this faith. Just as a drivers license doesn't give us the right to drive anyway that we please, the gift of salvation isn't our pass into heaven, living our lives anyway that we want. We still have to live our lives in a way that reflects that faith.
14What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him? 15Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. 16If one of you says to him, "Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed," but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it? 17In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.
18But someone will say, "You have faith; I have deeds."
Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do.
19You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder.
20You foolish man, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless[d]? 21Was not our ancestor Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? 22You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did. 23And the scripture was fulfilled that says, "Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,"[e] and he was called God's friend. 24You see that a person is justified by what he does and not by faith alone.
25In the same way, was not even Rahab the prostitute considered righteous for what she did when she gave lodging to the spies and sent them off in a different direction? 26As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead. James 2 14-16
My dad always told me "the road to hell is paved with good intentions". There are a lot of "good" people on this road. My prayer is that they invite Christ into their lives and accept His free gift and continue doing good, but now doing it for Him. In doing this it will put them on the highway to heaven.
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