+++++++++++++++++++++God's timing is not our timing, but He is never late.+++++++++++++++
"If we're open to it, God can use even the smallest thing to change our lives." Donna Van Liere, The Christmas Shoes


Layers - in the knowledge of God and the path to holiness

Learning about God is like unwrapping a head of lettuce, pealing back one leaf at a time. Always there is another leaf below. We will eventually reach the center of the head of lettuce; but we will never unwrap everthing there is to know about God.

The path to holiness is like pealing an onion. God shows us what is sinful and convicts us that we have sinned. No matter how sweet the onion, there are always tears in the peeling. No matter how sweet the grace of repentence, there are always the pain of letting go of the sin. As the peeling of the onion reveals another layer, so God shows us what we lack in holiness, drawing us ever closer to "be(ing) perfect even just as your heavenly Father is perfect." Matthew 5:48




What I Believe

Why I am and always will be a Catholic. "So Jesus said to them, 'Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you; he who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. For my flesh is real food, and my blood is drink indeed. He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him. Tthe living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so he who eats me will live because of me. This is the bread which came down from heaven, not such as the fathers ate and died; he who eats this bread will live forever." John 6:53-58 The words and actions of man cannot sanctify. Only the priest, empowered by his ordination, can invoke the Holy Spirit to transform the bread and wine into Jesus so we can receive Him - Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity into our bodies and souls. This is the core of the Catholic Church; without this there is no purpose or meaning to the Catholic Church. There are other ways to holiness, to grow in grace; there is no better way than union with Jesus Christ in the Holy Eucharist.

Visitation Catholic Church

Visitation Catholic Church

Monday, December 3, 2007

What is Sinful?

What is sinful? Just about anything can be sinful, depending on the circumstances. Going to the store and shopping can be sinful. How? If the items bought are bought out of desire and not need; if the items bought stress a budget and cause a lack of funds for things that are needed, then shopping is sinful. This is not merely self-denial. The money is not there and won’t be there. The items bought are bought mostly for the pleasure of them and not the necessity. The rationalizations for buying sound good on the surface but really don’t satisfy the conscience. How can one amend for it? First of all, accepting it as sinful and repenting. Not shopping just to see what’s out there. Teaching oneself to say ‘no’ and walking away from what is desired. Learning to listen to perhaps the weaker voice saying that the items are not needed, to let the opportunity pass. To remind oneself of current finances and future needs. To examine the doubts of those rationalizations. To be happy and content with the things already possessed. But how to make amends for the past? Is it possible when items can no longer be returned? Is it enough to shut the door on the past and begin anew? It is important to acknowledge that the stripping away of desire for material things is painful and possible a long-term process, with failure along the way. Again, the first step is repentance. Then, opening oneself to the healing grace of God to walk a new path. Praying for the grace of God to adhere to the new path. Hope in the grace of God to change the desires of one’s heart, turning it always to God, Himself.

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