Association Of Catholic Bloggers

  Today is a beautiful day in the Church - Feast of the Exultation of the Holy Cross. I have a wonderful video for those of you who have ever wondered what happened to the actual cross of Christ. It is very short, but very informative. I hope you enjoy it. It can be found at:  https://bible.usccb.org/podcasts/video/2024-09-14-reflection-638 I have also embedded it in my blog at janetcassidy.com Janet Cassidy Email me at:  jmctm2@gmail.com janetcassidy.com https://www.facebook.com/reflectionsinfaith/ https://www.youtube.com/@janetcassidy

Last Sunday's Gospel reading was about Jesus healing a man who couldn't hear or speak. 1 So that's what Fr. Greg talked about: along with how it ties in how we're living today. A tip of the hat to Fr. Greg, for letting me make a transcript of his homily: Healing the Deaf Mute of Decapolis (1) One-On-One Healing (2) Touching His Ears (3) "Unusual to Us" — Jesus Spits (4) A Second Touch (5) Jesus Looks Up to Heaven (6) He Groans (7) Ephphatha! The Purpose of the Messiah Sidon, the Decapolis, and a World of Gentiles Deafness as a Cultural Preference Babies, Birth Rates, Families: and Statistics The Greatest Blessings on Earth Valuing Children Looking Ahead Planning Ahead, and Praying Video: Gospel Reading and Homily at St. Paul's, Sauk Centre, MN; September 8, 2024 More at A Catholic Citizen in America . (A guest post by Fr. Greg Paffel: showing how healing the deaf mute of Decapolis applies to how we should live today. Valuing

  Mocking of Christ Titian [ Web Gallery of Art ] And he began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes and be killed, and after three days rise again  (Mark 8: 31; Gospel).   Readings (Jerusalem Bible: Australia, England & Wales, Ireland, New Zealand, Pakistan, Scotland) Readings   (New American Bible: Philippines, USA) Gospel   Mark 8:27-35   (English Standard Version, Anglicised)    Jesus went on with his disciples to the villages of Caesarea Philippi. And on the way he asked his disciples,  “Who do people say that I am?”   And they told him, “John the Baptist; and others say, Elijah; and others, one of the prophets.”   And he asked them,  “But who do you say that I am?”  Peter answered him, “You are the Christ.”   And he strictly charged them to tell no one about him. And he began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and t

  The natural way for a human being to be created is by love, between a husband and a wife, as God intended. But there are times, as we all know, that a human is created through violence, casual recreation or in situations where they are not wanted and are considered an inconvenience. None of these circumstances, of course, changes the reality that a living human being has been created. And in none of these situations can it be said that the baby bears any "fault" for coming into existence. Even if you don't believe in God, these are things on which I think we can all agree. And if you are a science person, again, there is no argument about these. What doesn't make sense is that a tiny new life can be snuffed out--intentionally. Yes, it's true, in our country, the United States of America, you get to live as long as someone else thinks you should. And if they don't think you should . . . well you know how that goes. Let's not get bogged down i

  I wasn't able to attend the funeral of Fr. James Swiat, our former pastor, who passed away July 21, 2024 (maybe you knew him?), so I contacted the church from which he was buried to see if his funeral was still available to watch online. It is. The following words, in part, spoken as sort of an introduction at his funeral really summed up for me something beautiful: "We gather to grieve, because we are human. To rejoice because we are Christian. To give thanks because we shared in the life of Fr. Jim." I think these words touched me because it can be a temptation to try to suppress grief, especially for people of faith who like to focus on the heavenly banquet at which our loved one is now (hopefully) seated. However, just because we look forward to the joy of eternal life, does not mean that grief doesn't have its rightful place in the experience of loss. I think the three-fold summary of grieving, rejoicing and thanksgiving are a proper perspective fo

Mark 7:31-37 in Filipino Sign Language Readings   (Jerusalem Bible: Australia, England & Wales, Ireland, New Zealand, Pakistan, Scotland) Readings   (New American Bible: Philippines, USA) Gospel  Mark 7:31-37   (English Standard Version, Anglicised)    Then Jesus returned from the region of Tyre and went through Sidon to the Sea of Galilee, in the region of the Decapolis.   And they brought to him a man who was deaf and had a speech impediment, and they begged him to lay his hand on him.   And taking him aside from the crowd privately, he put his fingers into his ears, and after spitting touched his tongue.   And looking up to heaven, he sighed and said to him,  “Ephphatha”,  that is,  “Be opened.”   And his ears were opened, his tongue was released, and he spoke plainly.   And Jesus charged them to tell no one. But the more he charged them, the more zealously they proclaimed it.   And they were astonished beyond measure, saying, “He has done all things well. He even makes the deaf

Last week, I said I'd have "...tales of cursed gems, glow-in-the-dark diamonds, diamonds from outer space..." ready this week: "barring the unexpected". Then the unexpected happened. But I do have most of the Koh-i-Noor's story ready for you. I pieced together much that diamond's story this week: from the "mythical" king of a place that's not there any more, to present-day England: Koh-i-Noor: Diamond of Destiny, Slayer of Sultans and Shahs "The Diamond Does Not Satisfy" Doom of Afrasiab Emperors, Sultans, Shahs: and the Koh-i-Noor Gets Its Name The Body Count Grows In the Shadow of the Koh-i-Noor "...More Things in Heaven and Earth...." Superstition, Seances, and "Supernatural" More at A Catholic Citizen in America . (The story of the Koh-i-Noor: an allegedly-cursed diamond owned by Afrasiab of Turan, assorted sultans and emperors, and finally Queen Victoria of England.)

      The other day I wrote about offering up our suffering for others. You need to be a bit self-recollected to do that. Today I want to talk about offering up our day--of which suffering may be a part--to God. This also requires being personally recollected. Every moment of every day God is present to us, and while our being constantly hyper-aware may be next to impossible, with God's help, we can re-train our thoughts on him so that he can do his work in us. We do this, albeit imperfectly, because we love him, and for no other reason. This is not about control, but about freedom. This is about offering ourselves back to God who created us. We need to be listening. He is our focus. Embracing this spiritual, supernatural way of living isn't merely cooperating with God. It is an in-the-moment way of being. Being more attentive to God's presence should bring us peace. If it makes us scrupulous or anxious, our intentions are misplaced and we need to ask God for direct

I am not "political". I won't try convincing you that [party A] or [politico A] is to blame for everything you don't like — while [party B] or [politico B] will solve all your problems. But now and then I talk about something with a political angle: like the ongoing mess in the Middle East. And I'll admit to a bias.... More at A Catholic Citizen in America . (A brief, for me, response to news that six more hostages held by Hamas are dead: including Hersh Goldberg-Polin.)

Pray for healing; welcome suffering. When we do this, we follow Jesus in the Agony in the Garden , when he said, " if it is possible, let this cup pass from me; yet, not as I will, but as you will." (healing/willingness/obedience.) When we receive the Eucharist at Mass (the body, blood, soul and divinity of Jesus), we consume--we take in--Jesus himself. Naturally, we do not become little gods, but uniquely, our humanity is transformed by his divinity within.  The Eucharist gives us the strength to join Jesus in the Garden, on the road of his Passion, and to his death on the cross, knowing as we do now, the resurrection that follows. As followers of Jesus, suffering is part of our experience, and we must share in that as well, and likewise, our own suffering can be offered for others.  While we do not bring salvation through our suffering like he did, it doesn't mean our suffering isn't redemptive. The suffering of Jesus saved us; we offer our suffering to Go