Multiple Sins Against Chastity - A Look at the Ninth Commandment

Human love demands a total self-giving of one to another within the covenant of marriage. There is no room for self-gratification, or for expressions of sexual intercourse aside from the conjugal act within marriage. For when these things happen, they are not based on love. Rather, they are based upon deception and a misuse of one’s own sexuality. Actions such as these, linked to the Ninth Commandment, diminish the dignity of all parties involved. Innately, we all know this, because God has infused within each one of us His Natural Law of right versus wrong. Yet, we still commit the sins against Chastity.

Sins Against Chastity

We know that to practice Chastity, we are to refrain from engaging in sexual relations with someone other than one’s own spouse. When we do not refrain from doing so, we commit the sins of... Read more...

Mother's Love

A MUST-READ STORY FOR ALL MOTHERS

... AND FOR EVERY ONE ELSE TOO ...

CLICK HERE

Second Collections

The neighborhood parish took a second collection again today. This week's was to help folks hit by Hurricane Irma. The one before that was for those affected by Harvey.

Folks in the Caribbean, Gulf Coast, and Florida weren't the only ones dealing with disaster recently....

More at A Catholic Citizen in America.

"Raving Politics"

Quite a few parts of the Bible don't talk about forgiveness. But quite a few do, and they're not just in the New Testament.

This morning's second reading doesn't mention forgiveness directly, but the verse right after it does.

They all say why forgiving is a good idea.

It's enlightened self-interest, in the long run....

More at A Catholic Citizen in America.

Finally Getting Answers

Back when I was in college I remember experiencing debilitating fatigue and muscle weakness. I thought I was just being lazy.

After I had my second kid, it got worse. Again, I thought I was just being lazy. 

There were days I couldn't even pull myself off the couch. One day that was particularly awful, I heard the Lord tell me that I had a physical illness. He also showed me some other stuff which you can read about here.

That began the long road to getting answers.

Continue Reading @ Beautifulthorns>

Mary STOOD At The Foot of the Cross

The Gospel for the Feast of Our Lady of Sorrows is the passage in which Mary, the Mother of Jesus, and the Beloved Disciple, both stand at the foot of the Cross.

Some Catholic artists have depicted Mary sobbing, prostrate on the ground but the women and the Beloved Disciple stood together with courage, at the foot of the Cross.

continue reading

'How often should I forgive?' Sunday Reflections, 24th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A

St Peter in Penitence, El Greco [Web Gallery of Art]

Readings (New American Bible: Philippines, USA)
Readings (Jerusalem Bible: Australia, England & Wales, India, Ireland)
Gospel Matthew 18:21-35 (NRSV, Anglicised Catholic Ed)

Then Peter came and said to Jesus, ‘Lord, if another member of the church sins against me, how often should I forgive? As many as seven times?’ Jesus said to him, ‘Not seven times, but, I tell you, seventy-seven times.

‘For this reason, the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his slaves. When he began the reckoning, one who owed him ten thousand talents was brought to him; and, as he could not pay, his lord ordered him to be sold, together with his wife and children and all his possessions, and payment to be made.

So the slave fell on his knees before him, saying, “Have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.” And out of pity for him, the lord of that slave released him and forgave him the debt. But that same slave, as he went out, came upon one of his fellow-slaves who owed him a hundred denarii; and seizing him by the throat, he said, “Pay what you owe.” Then his fellow slave fell down and pleaded with him, “Have patience with me, and I will pay you.” But he refused; then he went and threw him into prison until he should pay the debt. When his fellow slaves saw what had happened, they were greatly distressed, and they went and reported to their lord all that had taken place.

Then his lord summoned him and said to him, “You wicked slave! I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. Should you not have had mercy on your fellow-slave, as I had mercy on you?” And in anger, his lord handed him over to be tortured until he should pay his entire debt. So my heavenly Father will also do to every one of you if you do not forgive your brother or sister from your heart.

The Misa Criolla, by Argentinian composer Ariel Ramírez (1921-2010), is a Mass for tenor, chorus, and orchestra, is based on folk genres such as chacarera, carnavalito and estilo pampeano, with Andean influences and instruments. It is also one of the first Masses to be composed in a modern language. Ramírez wrote the piece in 1963-1964. In Latin America 'Kyrie eleison', is translated as 'Señor, ten piedad de nosotros', 'Lord, have mercy on us', whereas in Spain it is 'Señor, ten piedad', 'Lord, have mercy'. Here it is sung by Los Frontizeros and the choir of San Isidro Cathedral, Buenos Aires. I do not know to what extent the Misa Criolla has been used in worship, as distinct from concert performances.


Fr Werenfried van Straaten OPraem [Wikipedia]
Today's gospel brings us in touch with what is perhaps its most difficult demand: to forgive. El Greco's painting shows us St Peter praying with hope and trust in God's merciful and forgiving love. The setting by Ariel Ramírez of the Kyrie expresses the same thing.

Full post here.

Cassini-Huygens Mission

The Cassini-Huygens mission ends this week, after 13 years in orbit around Saturn. Scientists found answers to some questions they had, and uncovered new questions.

I think they'll be studying Cassini's and Huygens' data for years. Decades.

I'll take a quick look at what we've learned, and why scientists want follow-up missions to the Saturn system.

The Enceladan subsurface ocean wasn't a complete surprise.

More at A Catholic Citizen in America.

No doubt why young people do not consider marriage for their lives. (Spanish) Lógico que jóvenes no consideren el matrimonio para sus vidas.

 

Para muchos jóvenes, no parece fácil hablar de matrimonio, pareciera que no tienen en entre sus prioridades casarse, quizá, por rehuir al compromiso, quizá por tener altas y diversas expectativas. Quizá ambas o alguna otra….

La verdad es que los jóvenes que llegan al matrimonio son siempre menos.

 

Esto es un hecho: los jóvenes ¡no quieren casarse!

¿Por qué los jóvenes no se casan? ¿Por qué a menudo prefieren una convivencia y tantas veces “a responsabilidad limitada”? ¿Por qué muchos – también entre los bautizados – tienen poca confianza en el matrimonio y en la familia? Es importante tratar de entender, si queremos que los jóvenes puedan encontrar el camino justo para recorrer. ¿Por qué no tienen confianza en el matrimonio?

 

Investigating your bedroom habits

IMPORTANT NEW RESEARCH

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Within Marriage, There is No Place for Adultery - A Look at the Sixth Commandment

Adultery has no place in God’s plan for how He defines marriage. That is why it is clearly spelled out in the Sixth Commandment: “You shall not commit adultery” (Ex 20:14). We can go all the way back to Genesis, and read about the creation of man and woman. It is here that we learn of God’s plan for marriage. We see that Adam and Eve were created in a state of union and love with God.

God blessed them, saying to them: ‘Be fruitful and multiply’ (Genesis 1:28)

 

By God’s design, through the complementarity of male and female, along with the gift of sexuality, humans may procreate. This design is further clarified later in Genesis, where it states:

That is why a man leaves his father and mother and clings to his wife, and the two become one body (Genesis 2:24).

 

Not only do the couple become one body through the conjugal act, but they unite their love for each other, as Adam and Eve’s love was united with God, before the fall. Also, take note of the usage of the word “wife” in Genesis,... Read more...

The Dying Words of Saints

My newest book is out: “I Am Going . . . : Reflections on the Last Words of the Saints” (89 of them!) published by ACTA Publications.  It has lovely full-page portraits of 14 of these saints. I thought you might enjoy reading the introduction . . . and be interested enough to purchase the book, which is $12.95!  By the way, the intriguing title “I Am Going” is taken from the last words of St. Elizabeth of the Trinity: “I am going to Light, Love, and Life.”Click to continue

The Defenders is Decent, But Mildly Disappointing

I'm not really a comic-book geek or anything, and yet I admit that I was fairly excited for the Netflix original “The Defenders” series to premier. Mostly I think I was just hoping for some more of the material I loved in the “Daredevil” series, and hoping for none of the cheesiness that I very much didn't love in the “Iron Fist” series.

As for the two other characters featured in “The Defenders,” we never watched “Jessica Jones” after hearing that there was a scenario in it that totally condoned abortion and would have really pissed me off; and “Luke Cage” we tried but didn't get through a whole episode before deciding that it just wasn't appealing enough to go back to.

So, as excited as I was for “The Defenders,” I wasn't quite sure what to expect... Continue Reading

| Neesee's Dresses Haul |

Hi there, ya'll! =)

Don't you just love it when your favorite store has a huge sale??? Few things make me happier (okay, that may be a slight exaggeration, haha) than seeing an email in my inbox telling me about a big sale coming up somewhere that I love to shop.  A couple of weeks ago, Neesee's Dresses sent me one of those oh-so-happy emails to let me know they were having some great deals to celebrate Labor Day.  I had originally intended to only get one Maxi dress for my family's upcoming vacation, but when I saw all the prices and deals (including TWO FREE DRESSES, YA'LL), I ended up with several Maxi dresses, and two new Midi dresses.  I've never written a haul post before, but I think this will qualify nicely, and I can share some of my ideas for styling each dress with you all!

Turn the Tide: An Elaboration on the Fifth Commandment

Oh, there are so many ways to violate the Fifth Commandment! Did you know that? Besides murder, we can violate this commandment as follows, via showing a disrespect for others in the form of

…anger, hatred, abusive language, resentment, omissions in service, racism, and failures to treat enemy oppressors with love. Revenge or vindictiveness also has no place in the heart of a Christian.” ¹

 

After reading this list, are you like me? Are you having a “whoa” moment, thinking about all the times when you got unjustly angry because of greed or pride? Are you saying “ouch” when you realize that you think you’re better than others, only to learn that you are not (hatred and racism)? How about when you resented someone for getting something you wanted, and envy reared its ugly head?

More Ways to Violate the Fifth Commandment!

It gets even worse! We can violate the Fifth Commandment by showing a disrespect for ourselves, when we commit... Read more...

More Disasters

The good news is that folks on the Gulf Coast probably won't be affected by Hurricane Irma. Not directly.

Cleanup and rebuilding there is taking a back seat to news of this weekend's hurricane and Mexico's major earthquake.

I'll be talking about this week's disasters, and how folks deal with them. Also faith, reasonable and otherwise, and a little science....

More at A Catholic Citizen in America.

Beware of stubbornness

ARE YOU STUBBORN?

ALWAYS DOING WHAT YOU THINK IS RIGHT?

NEVER DO AS SUGGESTED TO YOU?

WELL ... I BET YOU WILL NOT CLICK ON THIS

For the Memorial of Saint Teresa of Calcutta Through the Lens of a Friend

Marie Constantin, the photographer, and author of Finding Calcutta: Memoirs of a Photographer understands images have power, more power than words alone to impact lives.

I recently spoke with Marie Constantin, who has photographed some of the world’s worst slums in Calcutta, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Tijuana where she discovered beautiful nuns, serving with joy. “Mother Teresa and all the nuns I was privileged to be around or write about stole my heart forever.  I gave it back in this book”.

continue reading

Forgive me Father ... I have sinned

CONFESSION TIME

CLICK HERE TO FIND OUT MORE

'Where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there among them.' Sunday Reflections, 23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A

Prayer before a Meal, Adriaen Jansz van Ostade[Web Gallery

For where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there among them (Matthew 18:20).
Readings (New American Bible: Philippines, USA)
Readings (Jerusalem Bible: Australia, England & Wales, India [optional], Ireland, New Zealand, Pakistan, Scotland, South Africa)
Gospel Matthew 18:15-20 (NRSV, CatholicEdition)

Jesus said to his disciples:
‘If another member of the church sins against you, go and point out the fault when the two of you are alone. If the member listens to you, you have regained that one. But if you are not listened to, take one or two others along with you, so that every word may be confirmed by the evidence of two or three witnesses. If the member refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if the offender refuses to listen even to the church, let such a one be to you as a Gentile and a tax-collector. Truly I tell you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. Again, truly I tell you, if two of you agree on earth about anything you ask, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there among them.’


Today's gospel looks at forgiveness, mainly from the point of view of helping someone to acknowledge a wrongdoing and thereby asking for and receiving forgiveness. I often think about a Christian Brother who taught me in Dublin and one incident involving him that I witnessed and another I heard about years later. I'll simply copy from a previous post, with one or two slight changes.
Full post here.

Best way to be proud of being Mexican. (Spanish) La mejor forma de ser mexicano.

 Seguro que todos estamos orgullosos de ser mexicanos. Pero actuamos de manera incongruente.  Nos denigramos unos a otros por nuestra diferente forma de demostrar nuestra mexicanidad. Cualquiera que nos mira sin saber nuestras particularidades podría decir que somos un país singular. Y es muy cierto: ¡todos somos guadalupanos!

Somos un pueblo de múltiples costumbres, diferentes tradiciones, diversas herencias culturales, distintas lenguas, heterogéneas maneras de vestir, interesantes maneras de expresión artística, amenas tertulias y entretenidas maneras de divertirnos.

 Contamos con una cocina mundialmente famosa, con una música que nos caracteriza, con un folklor muy particular, con increíbles coloridos en nuestros trajes regionales, con bailes y fiestas muy reconocidas según la región en las que se celebran. Tenemos también un gran bagaje antropológico y colonial, una diversidad de lenguas y costumbres y una historia, que aunque en ocasiones ha sido malamente reseñada por intereses políticos y falta de objetividad,  es totalmente particular. 

Labor Day SETI

I nearly missed an interesting development in SETI, the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence. Interesting, and as newsworthy as most Stephen Hawking stories, but probably not significant.

Professor Hawking didn't start chatting with aliens over the Labor Day weekend. That would be major news.

But an outfit he's connected with will be listening to FRB 121102. I think it's likely that they'll collect useful data, and that this isn't a prelude to 'first contact.'

Other scientists say they've spotted several planets orbiting Tau Ceti. Two of them may be just inside that star's habitable zone.

More at A Catholic Citizen in America.

The Trouble with the World, is Me

In his book, Small is Beautiful, Schumacher said, "Although people go on crying out for solutions, they become angry when they are told that the restoration of society must come from within and not from without." The evil that we read about daily in our newspapers or see on our television screens is but the outward projection of the evil that is firstly conceived and spawned within the human heart and mind. That is why, when she was asked how to combat the woes of the world, St Catherine of Siena said, "The trouble with the world is me."

It is all too easy to blame God, or ask why he does not prevent evil when it tears our lives apart, or the lives of the innocent for whom we can do nothing but offer sympathy. But the truth of the matter is that God is at all times poised to possess anyone who is open to receive the love that only he can give. It is this love that brings the profound inner peace that Jesus promised on the night before he died, so that it can be shared with the world that will always be at war without it. However, love cannot be forced on anyone who does not freely choose to receive it. If we are eaten up with hatred or jealousy, or possessed by pride or prejudice, it is we, not God who are responsible for destroying the peace and harmony that he wants to bring to the world through us.   read on......

When Disaster Strikes

WHEN DISASTER STRIKES

HURRICANES

FLOODS

EARTHQUAKES

FAMINES

WARS

ILLNESS AND DISEASE

Why does a merciful God allow such things to happen?

CLICK HERE TO FIND THE ANSWER

The Eye of the Storm

Whenever I intercede, I first ask the Lord how he is interceding regarding a situation. Jesus intercedes for us at the right hand of the Father (Romans 8:34). When Jesus was on earth, he also only did what he saw the Father doing (John 5:19). In the same way, I want to seek what he is doing and partner with him instead of getting in the way and praying the opposite of what he is doing. I also ask Jesus to show me where he is at in a given situation.

Continue Reading @ Beautifulthorns>

Honor One’s Father and Mother - A Look at the Fourth Commandment

For anyone to effectively honor one’s father and mother, it involves much more than doing everything you’re told to do. Yes, fathers and mothers deserve respect from their children, as the Fourth Commandment states. However, children also deserve respect from their parents. Everyone in the family is expected to imitate Christ’s love, affection and kindness, as well as the spirit of service.

As Adults, How Do We Stack Up?

The demands of work, society and other outside influences can override the time that we should be spending with family. When we should be giving our time to our family, we are working late. Or, when we should opt for spending time with family, we opt instead for dinner out with friends. If we are choosing to place our family second to personal interests, then how can we expect our children to respect us in the manner we would like? It starts with us, as the adults.

How to Teach Children to Honor One’s Father and Mother

So how do we make it all happen? We start by... Read more...

In Honor of Labor Day and Laborers

Because I am quite overwhelmed with work these days, I’m resurrecting a previous post. Hope it is new to you or that you have forgotten it! It’s called “Work: Grace in the Daily Grind.” Click on the link here:
http://www.kathleenglavich.org/2015/02/11/work-grace-in-the-daily-grind/

On Mother Teresa's Feast Day: a Film, a Book

As I celebrate the feast day of St. Teresa of Calcutta, I'm reminded of a film about her from a couple of years ago. I enjoyed The Letters when it came out, but the best thing about the film was the way it inspired me to pick up the book on which it was based. The film is about her. The actual letters, cited extensively in the book, are by her.

Read the rest of the post at Leaven for the Loaf.

Malcolm in the Middle: A Good Family-Centric Sitcom

I started watching "Malcolm in the Middle" by myself on a whim, a couple years ago, when my oldest kid was too tiny to have a clue about anything inappropriate it might contain if he was listening nearby. And then my husband saw it in my Netflix “Continue Watching” list and reminisced about watching it occasionally on TV in his adolescence. So it became our go-to nightly show for some time, as we watched through the seven seasons of hilarity and family conflict... Continue Reading

WHO IS JESUS?

WHO IS JESUS?

WHY DO YOU SAY SO?

CAN YOU JUSTIFY YOUR ANSWER?

DO YOU KNOW HIM ONE-TO-ONE?

CLICK HERE TO FIND OUT ABOUT JESUS

| Healthy Habits Every Girl Should Develop |

Hi there, ya'll! =)

Habits are part of life, both good and bad ones.  All of us struggle with bad habits we have acquired and are trying to break, but we often forget to form good habits to replace them.  I've noticed that when I focus on developing good habits instead of being so fixed on breaking the bad ones, it is much easier and less tiresome to overcome the habits I wish to rid myself of.  It takes approximately twenty one days to make something habitual to you, and there's no time like the present to begin.

1. Early To Bed, Early To Rise

Molly McBride Series by Jeanie Egolf – Book Reviews

Molly McBride and the Purple Habit, by Jean Schoonover-Egolf is the first in a series of charming books about a five-year-old girl, named Molly McBride. Molly loves imitating the Children of Mary Sisters, by wearing their purple habit, specially crafted, for her, by her mom. She loves it so much, that she wants to wear it to her big sister’s First Communion! Why can’t she, when the Children of Mary Sisters will be there, and they will be wearing their purple habits. Oh, can you imagine the havoc that would ensue in dealing with that on such a busy morning? You’ll need to read the story to see whether Molly gets her way.

Molly McBride – the Character

The character of Molly is strong in her faith in Jesus. At five years-old, Molly is well aware of who Jesus is, and what type of relationship she wants to have with Him throughout her life. I love this character, who comes across the page, filled with conviction! Molly McBride is a great role model for any child learning to grow in faith. Read more...

WHAT DOES GOD LOOK LIKE?

WHAT DOES GOD LOOK LIKE?

CLICK HERE TO FIND OUT

Firebase Earth

We are involved in a war which was raging when the current event, which we call the universe, began its existence. This war's origins are in a place where space and time are not, and many of its soldiers are beings whose nature and mode of existence we can only infer from their dealings with us.

When the first humans walked Earth, they quickly became involved in this war. On the wrong side.

More at A Catholic Citizen in America.

As the Morning Rising: Because He lives.....

As the Morning Rising: Because He lives.....: A gift ( from Canadian farmer ) to my vegan son. 'The labourer is worthy of his wages.' 'Because He lives I can face tomorrow...

As the Morning Rising: The Mansion of Your Heart

As the Morning Rising: The Mansion of Your Heart: Be present to me Lord, even when I am distanced from You. From a maze of streets rescue me and bring me to the mansion of Your heart. ...

Mercy Gives Us Freedom To Love

“Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.” -Matthew 5:7

Mercy bestows freedom on the one who receives it, as well as the one who gives it.

When I experience the Lord’s mercy in confession or in a state of surrender after realizing a wrong I committed against another, and ultimately, against God, I feel as though I am being cleansed with a refreshing spring of life-giving water, which I know is the Holy blood and water which flows from Jesus’ pierced side.

I feel humbled at the realization of how unworthy I am of this mercy. How so many sins I have committed in this life are deserving of endless suffering. Of how in the garden, when Jesus was bearing the sins of the whole world, both committed and all those to be committed, how many of those sins were my own. How this saddens me to know I was a part of Jesus’ pain in that moment of time. And with what great love He took on the sins of the world, including my own.

He knew what would happen. He knew I would turn against Him; I would deny Him again and again. He foresaw my actions before they came to be. Yet, even now, as I look upon Him up on the cross He smiles down at me. He did it all for me, and for all of His children. The pain He suffered, He suffered knowing it would give us a chance to spend forever with Him, if we only realize the ultimate act of mercy He gave us and surrender our lives to Him. His greatest act of mercy gave us the freedom to chose Him, surrender ourselves to Him, be forgiven, be cleansed in life-giving water and live in freedom in His Love and His Heart forever. How great is Our God!

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FATHER IGNATIUS IN HELL

FATHER IGNATIUS IN HELL

CLICK HERE

'For what will it profit a man, if he gains the whole world and forfeits his life?' Sunday Reflections, 22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A

The Repentant Peter, El Greco [Web Gallery of Art]

Readings (New American Bible: Philippines, USA)

Readings (Jerusalem Bible: Australia, England & Wales, India [optional], Ireland, New Zealand, Pakistan, Scotland, South Africa)

Gospel Matthew 16:21-27 (New Revised  Standard Version, Anglicised Catholic Edition) 

From that time on, Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and undergo great suffering at the hands of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, saying, ‘God forbid it, Lord! This must never happen to you.’ But he turned and said to Peter, ‘Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling-block to me; for you are setting your mind not on divine things but on human things.’

Then Jesus told his disciples, ‘If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will find it. For what will it profit them if they gain the whole world but forfeit their life? Or what will they give in return for their life?

‘For the Son of Man is to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will repay everyone for what has been done.

Richard, it profits a man nothing to give his soul for the whole world. But for Wales? [3:36 - 4:15]

For what will it profit a man, if he gains the whole world and forfeits his life? (Matthew 16:26, RSVCE)

For Readings and Reflections for the 22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A,  click on the following: 

Twenty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A

| Tips For Building A Capsule Wardrobe |

Hi there, ya'll! =)

One of the most common complaints you will ever hear from a woman is "I have nothing to wear!"  Often it is pronounced by a woman standing in front of a closet overflowing with clothing, shoes, and accessories, and yet she still is insistent; she cannot find anything to wear.  We (myself most definitely included) all have our weaknesses when it comes to shopping, and tend to buy certain items impulsively without actually considering whether or not we will ever wear them.  As a result, we have a closet filled to the brim with things that do not match and we very well may never put on.  Having too many options can be overwhelming and prevent us from seeing which options are actually good ones, so if you are one of those women who have "nothing to wear", the first thing you must do is narrow down the list of options.  Anything that you have not worn in the last year simply has to go; if you haven't worn it in the last year, chances are you won't wear it in the coming year either.  Our bodies are not are own, they are temples of the Holy Ghost, and while we are obligated to adorn these temples beautifully, we are also obligated to make good use of the time we have been given and not waste it trying to decide what to wear instead of doing something more productive.  Having a capsule wardrobe, composed mainly of basic foundation pieces and a few fun accessories, will save you so much time, and give you much more confidence about your appearance.

As the Morning Rising: Clad my Soul in Gladness

As the Morning Rising: Clad my Soul in Gladness: As well as September 1st marking World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation the month of September is dedicated to Our...

Healing Heart of Jesus (New Contributor)

As a new contributor to this blog site, I am humbled to be able to join so many other wonderful writers that contribute to spreading the Love of Jesus and our wonderful Catholic faith.

My background:
My name is Laura Durant, and I live near Austin, Texas, with my wonderful husband, John. I grew up in the faith, and met my husband as he was converting to Catholicism (what a joy that was!). I am also a member of the Austin Community of the Secular Order of Discalced Carmelites. I have developed over time a strong love and tenderness for the Sacred Heart of Jesus and Immaculate Heart of Mary. It started first with my relationship with Mary, who as she so easily and surely does, lead me straight into the loving flames of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

Healing Heart of Jesus (www.healingheartofjesus.com)
The blog I felt called to create is all about the Sacred Heart of Jesus, and focuses on the transformation of my heart and the transformation Jesus wants to do in each of our hearts - as well as the amazing mercy and healing power of His Most Sacred Heart. If you feel called to look more into my blog, click here. I also have a Facebook page and Instagram account related to this blog.

Sample of My Latest Posts:
Look to Jesus for All Your Answers
Look to Jesus for all your answers, and all will be given to you. We must learn to love with Jesus’ Heart and look to Jesus for all answers to our life’s concerns if we want to live a life filled with peace and freedom and to live without anxiety. For Jesus IS the answer. We need only look to Him and see His loving gaze on us to know with complete certainty there is no problem He cannot solve.
Read More

As the Morning Rising: Clad My Soul in Gladness

As the Morning Rising: Clad My Soul in Gladness: Joy Clad my soul in gladness Lord So that the threads that bind heaven and earth Will hold fast through ever...

Harvey Over Texas

Harvey's in the news, a lot, and probably will be for days.

I noticed stuff piling up in my notes, and decided that getting part of my 'Friday' post done early was a good idea....

...News reporting generally uses more superlatives than I like.

"Unprecedented" seems to be particularly popular with BBC News editors at the moment.

I don't mind things being biggest, smallest, newest, or whatever. But I've learned to be rationally skeptical when I read that something is the biggest, worst, or most devastating thing of its kind....

More at A Catholic Citizen in America.

Emoji Virtues!? Guest Post: Cathy Gilmore from Virtue Works Media

Emoji Virtues in our emotions? Is that even possible?

When we encounter characters in the books we read, the movies and TV we watch, as well as in the ever-unfolding story we call real life, we can witness virtues. Virtue comes alive in people’s beliefs, perceptions, thoughts, decisions and actions. But, how often do we consider the way that virtue can operate in human feelings and emotions?

A lifetime of research by a Catholic spiritual psychology pioneer, Richard Johnson, PhD. revealed that we  have special spiritual strengths, otherwise known as virtues; which specifically operate in the part of our personality whose function is emotion. He identifies Joyfulness, Trust, Devotion, Empathy and Gratitude as personality traits that we can cultivate as holy habits of virtue in a unique way in our emotions. Often, we think of emotions as something reactive; triggered by some new situation, or a recalled memory. However, through the miracle of virtue, aided by God’s grace, we can be INTENTIONAL about our every thought and action. Surprisingly, this intentionality applies equally to our emotions also. So, in short, yes, there are Emoji Virtues. We can make them a priority in the internal routine of our lives!

Do You Let Pride and Fear Rule Your Life?

It is interesting to note that our media and entertainment often portrays lives that ricochet between emotional extremes. We are led to believe that... Read more... 

An Eclipse: Raising Eyes to the Heavens

On August 21, the eyes of the world were on the skies, hoping to catch a glimpse of the solar eclipse. Thousands gathered to witness the stunning event and celebrate. Lucky were those whose view was not blocked by clouds! The sun’s corona, the diamonds, the ring were awesome. The phenomenon made me think of the astronomer’s psalm: “When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars that you have established; what are human beings that you are mindful of them, mortals that you care for them?” (Psalm 8:3–4) The beauty of the eclipse and of the universe captured in photos makes the heart swell and lifts our minds to the mighty God whose wisdom created all this wonder. We’ve seen our planet like a white and blue jewel in pictures shot by astronauts. We’ve seen other planets invisible to the naked eye spinning in all their glory. We’ve even seen galaxies, one looking mysteriously like the eye of God. No wonder the psalmist concludes his psalm by exclaiming, “O Lord, our Sovereign, how majestic is your name in all the earth!” (Psalm 8:9)  Click to continue

Childhood Memories

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Netflix Original "Paranoid" is a Solid, Tense Mystery Series

It seems to me that, in the library of Netflix original series, there is a glut of both sci-fi options and mystery/detective-type shows. We've tried our fair share of the sci-fi ones and not really found any that impressed us enough/didn't disgust us with unexpected graphic sexual material. But we hadn't really tried many of the mystery options, I think mostly because a lot of them just sound pretty much the same as one another and rather bland.

But recently I looked a little more closely at those mystery options and discovered that one called “Paranoid” sounded fairly promising. We gave it a try... Continue Reading

Secrets to A Grace Filled Marriage: Humility and a Sense of Humour

My husband, Michael, and I will have been married for 39 years on Sept. 1, 2017. After a difficult life, we are happy and still in love. Surprisingly, we have become one in reality, deeply in tune with each other’s spirits even though we are still opposites in personality. Our tangible joy is inexplicable through secular eyes because from all outward appearances our life together has been a tough journey through poverty, raising nine kids, facing overwhelming chores on a small family farm and dealing with long-term, clinical depression.

Accessing Power in the Sacrament of Marriage

How did our marriage survive never mind thrive? The grace available in the Sacrament of Marriage is not some esoteric theology;  it is real and it is powerful. The power available in the sacrament is what kept my husband and me together through the rough years. We both understood, beyond a doubt, that God brought us together. We never questioned this basic call from God, our vocation together, even during the dark years.

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| Sunday Style / Thoughts On Grace Kelly |

Hi there, ya'll! =)

I've been going through a slight (cough) Grace Kelly obsession lately.  A friend had me watch "High Society" a few months ago, and I was utterly captivated by Grace's style, poise, elegance, beauty...in short, everything about her.  Her grace (wink) was such a contrast to pretty much every female actress and celebrity today that it really inspired me to try and develop these traits more in myself.  Now, Grace Kelly certainly wasn't perfect, and there are many aspects of her life I do NOT want to imitate, but from reading several of her biographies and learning about her life, I feel I can safely say she possessed many excellent qualities that young ladies of today would do well to imitate.  With celebrities such as Katy Perry, Taylor Swift, and Miley Cyrus being paraded in front of all our young women today as examples of "female power" and "strong women", it's no wonder we have all these poor, confused girls running around with no idea how to act, speak, or dress, and no sense of propriety whatsoever.  Icons such as Grace Kelly, Ingrid Bergman, and (another personal favorite of mine) Jeanne Crain, all beautiful, feminine, graceful women, are all but unknown to the young women of today.  Instead, they have moral depravities like Nicki Minaj held up for them to imitate and admire.