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Have you ever been faced with a change that was hard for you to accept?    Would you agree that sometimes change can be pretty messy? In today’s episode of Cassidy Comments I recall a change the Catholic Church made in regards to standing after receiving Holy Communion and then I move into the current difficulty we have today as a civil body struggling to become unified. I highlight the most important thing we can do if we really want to achieve unity. As I mentioned in this podcast, here is the link to the TED talk by Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks.  Be sure to check it out!  Janet Cassidy janetcassidy.blubrry.net johnseven38@yahoo.com

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  I found myself trying to speak rationally to someone the other day that was being irrational.   Why do we try to do that?   It never gets us anywhere and you’d think I’d know that by now. It really only causes frustration.   It doesn’t usually end with any worthwhile resolution. I have found there are times when walking away is really the only way to stay civil if, after a sound attempt, you are moving toward the point of no return. In my recent exchange, I found myself asking the person, “Why are you mad at me?   Why are you talking to me like that?” which quickly spiraled into, “Why do you have such a bad attitude?” As you might have guessed, that really didn’t work out so well, so, taking my mother’s advice, I turned her wheelchair around and together we left. Now the only reason I bring this up is because it is important for us to have the wherewithal to recognize when we are on the edge of sinning.   When we think in those terms, it helps us stop from go

My husband held the nest out to me. "Feel how soft it is inside." I touched the coarse pine needles woven into a perfect shallow bowl. The exterior felt rough, like bark, and blended into the trunk and boughs of the nectarine tree where the parent birds had painstakingly built the nest. Inside, the softest grasses, layered with moss, formed a lovely cushion for their young nestlings. I don't think it's a coincidence that my husband found the nest and presented it to me just minutes after I returned home from church after hearing Luke 11: 1-13. Parent birds know to give their children good things like a soft nest -- how much more does God care for us, His children? A few thoughts today on The Gift that He Gives at Writer Jeanne Grunert .

Today is the Feast of Saint Martha, sister of Lazarus and Mary, and friend of Jesus. Martha always gets compared to her sister, Mary, for Martha was the diligent sister who attended to the household chores. Mary, on the other hand, cast those chores aside to sit at the feet of Jesus, whenever He spoke. From today’s passage, however, both women cast aside their chores to grieve the death of their brother, Lazarus. When Jesus arrives to visit with Martha and Mary, Jesus conducts an interchange with Martha that should enlighten the faith within us all. Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise.” Martha said to him, “I know he will rise, in the resurrection on the last day.” Jesus told her, “I am the resurrection and the life; whoever believes in me, even if he dies, will live, and whoever lives and believes in me will never die” (John 11:23-26). Saint Martha and the Testimony of Faith On the heels of this major declaration, Jesus asks this piercing question: “Do you believe t

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I was talking to someone the other day who I am fast considering to be the king of analogies.   In our conversation about faith, he offered this one—off the cuff—to describe the challenges of introducing others to Jesus who are not interested in testing the waters of faith. He said it is like getting a grandchild who insists they do not like gravy, to try it.   It goes like this: Grandpa:   Why don’t you try some gravy on those mashed potatoes? Grandson:   I don’t like it. Grandpa:   How do you know?   Have you tried it? Grandson:   No, I haven’t tried it, but I know I don’t like it. Grandpa:   Here, just try a little bit. Grandson tries it and decides he likes Grandpa’s gravy.    What a perfect analogy!   How many people have made a decision that they want no part of “religion” without even knowing what it means to have faith? Like Grandpa, people of faith struggle with how to offer that small, bite-sized portion.   Too often, we pile it on and sm

I was talking to someone the other day who I am fast considering to be the king of analogies.   In our conversation about faith, he offered this one—off the cuff—to describe the challenges of introducing others to Jesus who are not interested in testing the waters of faith. He said it is like getting a grandchild who insists they do not like gravy, to try it.   It goes like this: Grandpa:   Why don’t you try some gravy on those mashed potatoes? Grandson:   I don’t like it. Grandpa:   How do you know?   Have you tried it? Grandson:   No, I haven’t tried it, but I know I don’t like it. Grandpa:   Here, just try a little bit. Grandson tries it and decides he likes Grandpa’s gravy.    What a perfect analogy!   How many people have made a decision that they want no part of “religion” without even knowing what it means to have faith? Like Grandpa, people of faith struggle with how to offer that small, bite-sized portion.   Too often, we pile it on and sm

Man Praying , van Gogh  [ 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   Luke 11:1-13 ( New Revised Standard Version, Anglicised Catholic Edition, Canada)     Jesus was praying in a certain place, and after he had finished, one of his disciples said to him, ‘Lord, teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples.’ He said to them, ‘When you pray, say: Father, hallowed be your name.      Your kingdom come.      Give us each day our daily bread.        And forgive us our sins,          for we ourselves forgive everyone indebted to us.      And do not bring us to the time of trial.’ And he said to them, ‘Suppose one of you has a friend, and you go to him at midnight and say to him, “Friend, lend me three loaves of bread; for a friend of mine has arrived, and I have nothing to set before him.”   

If we struggle with impure thoughts, then the first thing we need to do is to develop respect for another’s dignity, as well as our own dignity, and not partake in illicit sexual fantasies. For some, refraining from engaging in impure thoughts can be a daunting task, as lustful behavior can be addictive. Anyone who suffers from any kind of addiction knows how hard it is to break the habit. Yet, it must be done to move from lustful behavior to a state of purity. To break any bad habit, we call on the Holy Spirit for some extra strength and assistance to break the chains and bondage of lust and seek purity. Seek Purity To seek purity, we must first embrace the virtues of Modesty and Temperance. We embrace Modesty because Modesty demonstrates self-respect. If we can’t even respect ourselves, then how can we respect the dignity of others?  We also embrace Temperance because Temperance... Read more...

Today we celebrate the Feast of Mary Magdalene, a devoted disciple of Jesus. In the Gospel reading from John, we learn of Jesus’ appearance to Mary, upon His resurrection from the dead. When Jesus asks, “ Woman, why are you weeping? Whom do you look for? ” (John 20:15), it is because Mary is distraught since Jesus’ body is no longer in the tomb. At first, Mary does not recognize the glorified Christ; that is until He speaks her name. Only then, does Mary realize that she is standing before her Good Shepherd. As with sheep, who know their shepherd by hearing his voice, Mary knows deep in her heart that the man she addresses now, is the Risen Lord. Mary Magdalene – Faithful Follower Mary Magdalene, ever faithful to Jesus, was present at his death, at the foot of the Cross. As she approached Jesus’ tomb to complete the burial rites, once the Sabbath ended, she was also the first to see Him upon His resurrection. Her attentiveness to His needs, her desire to care for Him, always

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"A journey of a thousand li starts with a single step." (Tao Te Ching," Laozi) "That's one small step for [a] man, one giant leap for mankind." (Neil Armstrong) I figure the journey to Earth's moon began when someone looked up and wondered what this world's "lesser light" might be. Uncounted ages, most likely, before folks like Laozi and Thales of Miletus added their thoughts to humanity's storehouse of knowledge. Thales of Miletus gets credit for figuring out that Earth's moon is roughly spherical. So does Anaximander, depending on who's talking. Those two lived about two and a half millennia back. A century later, Anaxagoras said Earth's moon was earthy, made of the same sort of stuff we stand on. He was right about that. Other details in his cosmology, not so much.... More at A Catholic Citizen in America .

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El sitio catolico Religión en Libertad nos brinda 10 testimonios de personas con atracción por el mismo sexo que encontraron en el amor de Jesús y la fe católica, aquello que buscaban en las relaciones homoesexuales que marcaban su vida. Al mismo tiempo nos revelan aspectos de esta comunidad que  nos muestra su realidad. Una serie que vale la pena recorrer para entender mucho de lo que sucede al interior de estas relaciones y cómo la fe puede levantar sus corazones y sus almas. Les recomendamos las vean todas: leer más...

The tree we transplanted looked dead until a torrential thunderstorm poured water from the heavens on it. Sometimes, we think our spirituality is dead, too. We need springs of living water to refresh our souls. A few thoughts in my latest essay, Spiritual Growth Requires Springs of Living Water. 

In today’s episode of Cassidy Comments I hope you will find a little fun history and maybe some inspiration.  Listen in as I talk about a favorite quote of mine and the surprising history I learned about it. I discovered after all these years, the quote is not only inaccurate, but has been popularly attributed to the wrong person!  Who knew that President Roosevelt's friendship with a Virginian named Squire Bill Widener would perpetuate such a wonderful quote? If you are looking for a little inspiration for yourself, maybe you, too, will be inspired by Squire Bill. Since I am a bit of a quote junkie, if you would like to follow me on Twitter @livingwaterjn7, you can find some of my other favorite quotes.  Or, if you have some of your own, I would love for you to share them on my blog at janetcassidy.blogspot.com. As always, I encourage you to subscribe! Janet Cassidy janetcassidy.blogspot.com janetcassidy.blubrry.net johnseven38@yahoo.com Twitter:  @livingwaterjn7

Are you like me, always wondering if you are doing God’s Will, rather than your own? I want to do God’s Will.  However, I sometimes wonder how much of a spin I place on any given task by inserting my own thoughts and feelings into the situation. When I’m not sure, but feel a sense of unease, I seek understanding. Seek Understanding How do I know, for sure, that what I do comports with God’s Will? I pray about it. I ask God for insight. He has this way of answering me through others, as well as through His Word in Scripture. Understanding, as a virtue, can be defined as the desire to know God better, as well as His revelation of Truth. When you know someone, and come to love that someone, then you want to act in a way that pleases that someone, in this case, God. We have the capacity for understanding God and His workings, as well as the ability to apply that comprehension to our daily lives. It’s just a matter of tapping into it. Read more...

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Apollo 11's Lunar Module reached Mare Tranquillitatis fifty years ago this month. I remember hearing Neil A. Armstrong announce the landing site's name: "Houston, Tranquility Base here. The Eagle has landed." A few hours later, Armstrong opened the Lunar Module's MESA — a storage locker built into the lander's side. A television camera in the MESA showed us Armstrong's, and humanity's, first step onto another world. Back on Earth, one out of every five people were watching: at home, in pubs, at cafes, in New York's Central Park and at shop windows. Pope St. Paul VI watched at the Castle Gandolfo observatory.... More at A Catholic Citizen in America .

On March 24, 1980 the Archbishop of San Salvador was assassinated during Mass.   This is a man who spoke out against violence and was a deeply cherished friend of the poor.    No one was ever convicted of the crime against him.  With that background, we can appreciate this quote from him, who knew the dangers of speaking up against rebels and the necessity of standing up for the voiceless:   “A church that does not provoke any crisis, preach a gospel that does not unsettle, proclaim a word of God that does not get under anyone’s skin or does not touch the real sin of the society in which it is being proclaimed:   what kind of gospel is that?” He’s got a point, doesn’t he?   Imagine the opposite.   What would a church look like that was sedate and all-compromising?   What would a church look like whose goal was to keep everyone happy?   What kind of a church would it be if it preached a gospel that had no impact, call to action or accountability? Is that a church yo

When we spend all our energy trying to make more money, we sometimes lose sight of what we should do with all that money. Usually, the inordinate desire for money (greed) stems from fear – fear of not having enough money to live comfortably. That fear is the devil at work on your weak spot. The devil tells you that you can only rely on yourself, and that God won’t be there for you. He further convinces you that the only person you can trust is you. So, you work hard to accumulate money. This can be exhausting – zapping you of all joy in life. You can have all the money in the world, and still be miserable in your greed. Want a surefire cure for greed? Embrace Munificence! Embrace Munificence Munificence is a funny sounding word, but it is a virtuous action that will bring you much joy. You know the old saying, “It is better to give than to receive.” Why? Because when we give from our excess, especially to those who could never repay the kindness, we receive joy! Doing something

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Christ in the House of Marth and Mary , Tintoretto  [ Web Gallery of Art ] This is  Sunday Reflections  for 21 July 2019, which I am posting early because of going on retreat. You will find  Sunday Reflections  for 14 July  here .   Readings   (New American Bible: Philippines, USA) Readings   (Jerusalem Bible: Australia, England & Wales, India [optional], Ireland, New Zealand, Pakistan, Scotland, South Africa) Gospel  Luke 10:38-42 ( New Revised Standard Version, Anglicised Catholic Edition, Canada)     Now as they went on their way, Jesus entered a certain village, where a woman named Martha welcomed him into her home.  She had a sister named Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to what he was saying.  But Martha was distracted by her many tasks; so she came to him and asked, ‘Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to do all the work by myself? Tell her then to help me.’  But the Lord answered her, ‘Martha, Martha, you are worried and distracte

Are you more negative than positive in life? Why is this so? Is it an attitude of mind? Or is life more negative these days? CLICK HERE TO DISCOVER YOURSELF

Moses , Carlo Dolci  [ Web Gallery of Art ] Moses said to the people: ' No, the word is very near to you; it is in your mouth and in your heart for you to observe' (Deuteronomy 30:14, from today's  First Reading ). Because I am going on retreat I have posted  Sunday Reflections  for both 14 July 2019 and for 21 July. You will find the latter  here . Readings   (New American Bible: Philippines, USA) Readings   (Jerusalem Bible: Australia, England & Wales, India [optional], Ireland, New Zealand, Pakistan, Scotland, South Africa) Gospel   Luke 10:25-37 ( New Revised Standard Version, Anglicised Catholic Edition, Canada)     Just then a lawyer stood up to test Jesus. ‘Teacher,’ he said, ‘what must I do to inherit eternal life?’  He said to him, ‘What is written in the law? What do you read there?’  He answered, ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind;