Association Of Catholic Bloggers

There is no excel spreadsheet in heaven of all the prayers or good works that you must do to be granted access to heaven.   We can do no action that benefits God in any way, because He is God, He is eternal, already complete and if we could do an action that benefited Him, then in some way He would be found to be lacking in something.   This is why the gift of the sacrifice of God's son, Jesus is completely, free and unmerited, because if all the human beings that have ever lived prayed constantly from their conception to their death could still not open the gates of Heaven and save us from the eternal suffering of hell they way that the blood of Jesus did.   Yet, God gives us an 'action' plan of salvation.  We are not to just stay in our... TO READ MORE CLICK HERE!

(From Silar, Wikimedia Commons, used w/o permission.) (Nativity scene at the Christ the King Church in Sanok , Poland, 2010.) Shepherding is a comparatively new occupation, compared to hunting and knapping . The earliest evidence we've found so far puts the first shepherds north of Sargon 's Akkadian Empire , where the Hittite Kingdom was, a dozen or so centuries later. I've mentioned them before. ( August 21, 2015 ; October 16, 2015 ) That was about the time someone carved a bit of siltstone into the Narmer Palette , and folks started building Stonehenge ; and that's another topic. Around the time Emperor Ping died, leaving Wang Mang in charge — he was either a great reformer or conniving scoundrel, depending on who you read, and that's yet another topic — the Roman Emperor ordered an empire-wide census. More at A Catholic Citizen in America .

Today's first Bible reading doesn't include the last part of Micah 5:4.... ...I'm guessing that's because we see these verses mostly as they relate to our Lord's birth, about seven centuries later. Folks in Micah's day had more immediate concerns: " 3 he shall be peace. If Assyria invades our country and treads upon our land, We shall raise against it seven shepherds, eight men of royal rank; " 4 And they shall tend the land of Assyria with the sword, and the land of Nimrod with the drawn sword; And we shall be delivered from Assyria, if it invades our land and treads upon our borders. " ( Micah 5:4 - 5 ) Micah lived around Isaiah 's time, a bit over 27 centuries back. Assyria's leaders were trying to unite the (western) world into a single empire, and succeeding: for the moment.... More at A Catholic Citizen in America .

Pontius Pīlātus was the fifth prefect of the Roman Province of Judea . That sounds important, but Pilate was one of the Equites : Roman aristocrats, but ranking below Patricians . Think of him as 'middle management.' Judea was a strategically important border province, giving the empire access to Egypt's agricultural resources, and a measure of protection from the Parthian Empire . More at A Catholic Citizen in America .

Q.  "Are there Legions of Angels?"  Yes, there are Legions of Angels.  Jesus spoke of twelve Legions of Angels that were available to Him. And behold, one of those who accompanied Jesus put his hand to his sword, drew it, and struck the high priest’s servant, cutting off his ear.  Then Jesus said to him, “Put your sword back into its sheath, for all who take the sword will perish by the sword.  Do you think that I cannot call upon my Father and he will not provide me at this moment with more than twelve legions of angels? (Matthew 26:52-53) But never forget, the Demon has also Legions also.   Remember when Jesus went to exorcise the man of the demon that dwelt among the tombs that could not be contained with a chain? TO READ MORE....CLICK HERE!!  

" The New Evangelization calls each of us to deepen our faith, believe in the Gospel message and go forth to proclaim the Gospel. The focus of the New Evangelization calls all Catholics to be evangelized and then go forth to evangelize.... " (" New Evangelization ," USCCB 1 ) In a way, the "new" evangelization isn't new. Matthew 28:19 means the same thing now that it did two millennia ago. But it isn't the first, or the 11th, century any more. We're in the 21st, and the world is changing. This isn't a new situation: " ...the world is on fire. Men try to condemn Christ once again, as it were, for they bring a thousand false witnesses against him. They would raze his Church to the ground.... No, my sisters, this is no time to treat with God for things of little importance.... " (Camino de perfección, 1, 5; St. Teresa of Avila; quoted by Benedict XVI on July 16, 2012) 1 ) St. Teresa of Avila wrote Camino de perfección

My wife gave me a familiar 'did you really say that?' look a few days ago, after I said I didn't understand why so many folks are upset about current events. She had, as usual, reason on her side. I've gotten upset, a lot. I'm pretty much the opposite of phlegmatic . But I don't see much point in contemplating cracked mirrors, or taking my cue from Yeats: " ...The mirror crack'd from side to side; 'The curse is come upon me,' cried The Lady of Shalott.... " (" The Lady of Shalott ," Tennyson (1842)) " ...Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world, The blood-dimmed tide is loosed, and everywhere The ceremony of innocence is drowned; The best lack all conviction, while the worst Are full of passionate intensity. " Surely some revelation is at hand; Surely the Second Coming is at hand.... " (" The Second Coming ," William Butler Yeats (1920)) ...Like quite a few other folks at the time, Yeats w

Over the centuries many Saints have told us how powerful the Rosary is, but they didn’t tell us why or how the Rosary makes such a change in our world.  The following is an attempt at an explanation of the power of the Rosary The Rosary is one of the most powerful tools of portable semi- exorcism and soul purification.   Soul Purification: The Holy Rosary, if prayed with dedication, and singularity of heart, allows one that prays purification, a desire for the things of God's church which include the sacraments, and as God allows the soul will touch the edge of eternity in preparation for their judgment.  How can one prepare for eternity, if we have no tangible concept of the Holy Realm?  Can the finite touch the infinite? Yes, but only as God allows, for not by our own merit can man interact with eternity unless our hearts are aligned with God. God in His goodness has given us the Holy Sacraments of the Church as the way that a sinfully inclined man who will one day taste d

Jesus is the quintessential model for obedience. We see the first example of obedience in Luke 2:49, where we read, “Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?” Jesus had an awareness of the Father’s will and was obedient to the calling to discuss scripture with the learned men in the Temple. Yet, on the heels of this statement, in verse 51, we also see that Jesus was obedient to his step-father, St. Joseph and his mother Mary, when once reunited with His parents. Luke tells us, “He went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was obedient to them” (Luke 2:51). We see another example of Jesus’ obedience to the Father in the passages of the Temptation of Jesus... Read more...

Our Gospel readings are still in the Bread of Life discourse. This week's installment was John 6:51 - 58 . 1 After two millennia, what our Lord said may have lost some shock value: " Whoever eats 19 my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him on the last day. " ( John 6:54 ) On the other hand, last year someone asked me if I realized that Catholics are cannibals. We are, sort of: but it wasn't our idea. ( June 22, 2014 ) Bread, Gnawing, and Choices Quite a few Christians sidestep this bit of the Gospel, but I can't. More at A Catholic Citizen in America .

Friendship as defined by Jesus through the writings of the Apostle, Saint John: No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you. I no longer call you slaves, because a slave does not know what his master is doing. I have called you friends, because I have told you everything I have heard from my Father. It was not you who chose me, but I who chose you, and appointed you to go and bear fruit that will remain, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name he may give you. This I command you: love one another. (John 15:13-17). Let’s unpack this statement, one point at a time. Read more...

Why be a giver? You might be thinking, “Why should I part with my hard earned money and give it to someone else? No one’s done any favors for me?” The short answer is that you do it because Jesus commanded you to when He said “Love your neighbor as yourself” (Mark 12:31). How can you love your neighbor as yourself, if you allow your neighbor to do without while you live comfortably? You, in essence, love yourself more than your neighbor. We are all in this together. We are all on the same journey, heading hopefully to the same place – eternal life with Christ. Are you ready to stand before Christ for your particular judgment and answer these questions? Read more...

Dozens of times in the Gospels, Jesus "amazes" his listeners. Here are a few of my favorites: They were amazed, saying "What sort of man is this, whom even the winds and the sea obey?" -Matthew 8:27 They were on the way, going up to Jerusalem, and Jesus went ahead of them. They were amazed, and those who followed were afraid. Taking the Twelve aside again, he began to tell them what was going to happen to him. -Mark 10:32 And all who were with him were amazed at the catch.  -Luke 5:9 Does Jesus amaze us? Is he so shockingly unique that we, his followers, are sometimes a little afraid of him? Read on at Praying with Grace ! Gold Aurei of the Twelve Caesars. Gift of C. Ruxton Love Jr., 1967.  www.metmuseum.or

It's Corpus Christi Sunday: the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ. Weather permitting, we'll have a Corpus Christi procession here in Sauk Centre. That photo is from last year's event. I won't be walking, but I plan to take photos, posting them later today. Taking what looks like a bit of unleavened bread for a walk makes sense to Catholics who understand our faith — maybe not so much to other folks. Corpus Christi is Latin for Body of Christ, and what happens to unleavened bread connects to why we've been celebrating ever since that first Easter. ( April 20, 2014 ) More at A Catholic Citizen in America .

The truth of our Salvation is far more terrifying on this side of the Cross than for the Jews before the Incarnation of God in the flesh.   When you study His Passion, you only begin to understand the truth of what His Blood truly means to both those who accept Him and those who .....reject Him.  TO READ MORE....CLICK HERE!! 

One my favorite bits from the Bible is in this morning's readings: " ...We are Parthians, Medes, and Elamites, inhabitants of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, " Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the districts of Libya near Cyrene, as well as travelers from Rome, " both Jews and converts to Judaism, Cretans and Arabs, yet we hear them speaking in our own tongues of the mighty acts of God.' " ( Acts 2:9 - 11 ) That was about two thousand years ago. Some things have changed. Phrygia 's land became part of Rome's holdings about a century after the " tongues as of fire " appeared.... More at A Catholic Citizen in America .

Catholic artist Michael O'Brien There were times when I was deep down in a pit. When I believed the lies my enemies told me about myself. When I truly believed I was worthless. When I genuinely agreed I was a loser. When I felt unloved and therefore angry with everyone.These times have come and gone at various points in my life. But this time, it was different. Read on at J.A.M .

Easter Sunday 2015: Acts 10:34a , 37 - 43 Colossians 3:1 - 4 or 1 Corinthians 6b - 8 John 20:1 - 9 Easter Sunday 2015 By Deacon Lawrence N. Kaas April 5, 2015 Jesus Christ is risen! This means that life takes on a new horizon. Have you ever thought of yourself as immortal? Have you ever considered that you have "forever" to live? The resurrection from the death of Jesus casts a new light on our human existence. No longer are we bound by finite ends. Our life has an all new endless and brilliant horizon, and we come to share in this new resurrected and glorious horizon gifted us by Christ Jesus through our baptism. In baptism, we are born into the resurrected life of Jesus Christ, a life that knows no end, no boundaries.... More, at A Catholic Citizen in America .

What victory is this, that all suffering that we suffer now will pass away, and every tear, every pain along with every joy, and shout of praise will bring to fruition the fulfillment of the Kingdom of God. I have seen the victory, and it is wondrous. In a moment at God's will I was shown the end.... TO READ MORE..CLICK HERE!

Here he is. "Karol Wojtyla-splyw" by Unknown  [Public domain] via Wikimedia Commons Yes. That's my beloved JP2. It's OK, you can love him too. On April 2, the world marked the tenth anniversary of his death. Pope Francis  encouraged us  to keep up our conversation with the Polish pope, asking him to "intercede for us, for families, for the church so that the light of the Resurrection shines through all of the darkness in our life and fills us with joy and peace.” It makes sense to continue to talk to Pope John Paul II--to pray--just like we did while he was still living among us. Sunday's brilliant celebration of Easter reminds us that Jesus has conquered death. Death is no stumbling block for us; when our friends pass away, we know they live in Jesus Christ. Read about three other popes and the love of Jesus Christ at Praying with Grace !