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Marianne Stokes, an Austrian who was born  Marianne Preindlsberger in the Austrian province of Styria in 1855, She died in Londin, England in 1927. I love the nativity scene where an exhausted Mary is asleep with angels singining to entertain Baby Jesus. And what a stroke of genius, to include crown of thorns branches with the Madonna an d Child!

The Dream of St Joseph ,  Georges de la Tour, c.1640 [ 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 1:18-24  ( New RevisedStandard Version, Catholic Edition , Canada)  Now the birth of Jesus Christ   took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been engaged to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit.   Her husband Joseph, being a righteous man and unwilling to expose her to public disgrace, planned to dismiss her quietly.   But just when he had resolved to do this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.   She will bear a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for

Angels we have on heard high Sweetly singing ore the plains And the mountains in reply Echoing their joyous strains Gloria in excelsis Deo Gloria in excelsis Deo This is the time of year that even the secular world focuses on angels. Soak in the images of angels, the first heralds of the Good news to the poor. They will inspire you to praise God with a joyful heart. What a wonderful way to prepare to celebrate the birth of Christ.

'When our Lord is with us,  light is poured abroad on life's path,  light is shed around in the house of our soul, His own living Tabernacle....  'On the morning of Confession,  show Him round the house;  show Him what needs repair; show Him where thieves  break in and steal;  be busy telling Him all,  and beg of Him the grace  of perfect contrition.' (from Fervorinos From Galilee's Hills, compiled by a Religious, Pelligrini, Australia, 1936, p. 223)   from The Breadbox Letters

Our CHALLENGE #2:  PEOPLE!  Yes, many different people :  F amily members, Friends, Co-workers, even Strangers this time of year... In many different ways , from subtle & sweet to downright aggressive & controlling ... [People-Pressure] From people who may wish to be supportive of our desire to do things differently [more healthfully], but don't really understand how to be of help; to others who may actually discourage or sabotage our efforts, preferring we didn't change our ways, even though such changes would be for our ultimate good. Yet, if we only had to meet this challenge just once in a rare while, such as on Christmas day, it really wouldn’t be a big issue at all.  But for many of us, however, it’s a challenge that we must often face, several times a week or even daily, especially during this season, from Thanksgiving through New Year's Day, which is why Challenge #2 can be the problem  that's been taking “option C” out of t

If you are looking for a great deal this Christmas, you can't beat free! For a limited time we are offering a few of our titles for free to Amazon Kindle Prime customers. If you've been wanting to read Our Jewish Roots: A Catholic Woman's Guide To Fulfillment , now might be the time to get it for yourself or give it this Christmas. It is currently ranked on Amazon: #49 in Books > Christian Books & Bibles > Catholicism > Self Help Another favorite for the tween or teen boy in your family, All Things Guy: A Guide To Becoming a Man that Matters is also free for Amazon Prime Kindle. Merry Christmas! Cheryl

This is a bit off topic, but please bear with me. Dear Santa, all I want for Christmas is for the hot flashes to stop.  Seriously.  I know I'm big on  jewelry ,  books  and more  jewelry , but if you can stop the hot flashes, I will be nice FOREVER! "I don't have hot flashes.  I have short vacations in the tropics." I'm not kidding.  I've had hot flashes since 2001 and there is no indication that they will ever stop.  Sometimes I think they've gotten worse if that's even possible. While you're praying for me, you can read the rest here .

The Widow’s Mite by Tissot (photo credit: Wikimedia Commons). I was thinking recently about St. Therese and Judgment Day. Therese wanted to stand before God with “empty hands.” As part of her plan to trust in God rather than in her merits, she chose to give away all her spiritual goods. She offered them to God, not for herself, but for others. She left herself spiritually poor and naked. Then she was able to focus, not on her acts of virtue and self-denial, but on the merits of Jesus. She believed that, seeing her with no works on which to be judged, God would apply Jesus’ works to her account. Thus, her confidence was in Jesus alone. Following St. Therese, when I make a sacrifice, accept the trials and disappointments of my day, or act virtuously, I picture myself handing a plain brown box to the Blessed Virgin Mary. This is my gift for the Infant Jesus. Mary takes the package and wraps it splendidly with her  love and virtues. Then she passes it on to her Son,

UBI CARITAS ET AMOR. DEUS IBI EST. There are times in life when similar events happen in close proximity to each other and we’re left to wonder whether it’s only a mere coincidence, or a God incidence. Maybe the Almighty is telling us something, or leading us in a certain direction perhaps. A few days after Father Ignatius witnessed one of his parishioners shoplifting from the local supermarket, he had occasion to witness something else similar which taxed his tact and diplomacy, not to say his duties and responsibilities as a priest. He was at the local Grand Hotel for an Ecumenical Meeting of a number of churches in town. As the meeting broke up for a coffee break he approached the Reception Desk to ask the attendant where the phone booth was located. It was then that he noticed, quite by accident, one of his parishioners, a man in his early fifties, sitting at a table in the lounge with a young lady well half his age. At first he thought nothing of it; bu

Just in time for Christmas, here are some awesome book suggestions for nearly everyone on your list. For Married or Engaged Couples For Better... Forever!: A Catholic Guide to Lifelong Marriage, by Greg Popcak . This modern Catholic classic has been offering helpful advice to couples for more than a decade. Give a gift that helps love grow all year long. Click here for  my review . For Moms and Dads Growing Up in God's Image, by Carolyn J. Smith.   One of the biggest struggles parents face is teaching their kids a healthy outlook on sexuality. You can start laying the groundwork when your kids are very young by teaching them respect for their bodies. Then, it's much easier to talk to them as they get older. Learn how in this helpful book. Click here for  my review and link to buy . Catholic Family Fun, by Sarah A. Reinhard.   The family fun can last all year round if you use the ideas in this clever book. Imagine always having something wholesome to do that will

An article I wrote for Catholic Lane The fundamental difference between self- centered piety and true, vibrant life in  Christ is when we give up trying to save  ourselves and surrender to Jesus. Every society, every culture has a tradition of a scapegoat, someone to blame and punish for the sin of that particular society. It follows then that in the beginning of the spiritual life we are when confronted with our own sinfulness and those around us, we are conditioned to act like the scapegoat.  When I take on the identity of a scapegoat, even if I  live a devout, disciplined, ascetic lifestyle with a daily round of mass, rosaries, Eucharistic Adoration and frequent confession, I still fall into a trap. It is a trap that all of us fall into as we try to become devoted disciples of Jesus. It is a piety that in the end focuses on ourselves, our actions, our devotions and effort. I am at the front and centre, not God. To make a shift from an egocentric lifestyle to a God

If you are anywhere near my age (1976 high school graduation) and are a female, you may now be at a point where the aftertaste of radical feminism has started to disappear. You’ve also successfully waded through a culture that embraced new-age thinking and have now arrived at real truths. Unfortunately, the result of the particular journey that many of us have been on is that we, in direct opposition to the false messages of radical feminism and the new age movement have really lost out on something that I have only recently discovered: God as Mother. Sophia. Years ago I wrote my first fiction book titled Elizabeth:A Holy Land Pilgrimage . In the book, Elizabeth’s daughter is named Sophia. At the time I knew no one with that name and it had no special meaning to me. I just knew that Sophia was supposed to be the name of the daughter in the book. The second fiction book I wrote is titled Miriam:Repentance and Redemption in Rome . Sophia, as Elizabeth’s daughter, is also part

St. Wendelin Catholic Church But Jesus said, “Let the children alone, and do not hinder them from coming to Me; for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.”  M atthew 19:14 J.K. Richards Fritz von Uhde, c1880. “Lasset die Kinder …”, let the little children come to Me

Written by Father Michael E. Gaitley, MIC, director of the Association of Marian Helpers, the Congregation of Marian Fathers of the Immaculate Conception.   The examination of conscience (also called "examen") should be made sometime toward the end of the day.  Most people make it shortly before going to bed.  It's basically a mental review of the previous 16 hours or so of consciousness. To make the examen, first, we should put ourselves in the presence of God.  In other words, we should begin with the attitude that the examen is a time of prayer, not just a mental exercise.  Devoutly making the Sign of the Cross may be enough to do this. Next, we just have to remember one word: baker, B-A-K-E-R, baker.  Actually, we also have to remember what each letter of this word stands for.  B stands for"blessings" .  According to St.Ignatius, this is the most important of the five points.  Here we simply review our day, survey the many blessings Go

One word we hear at this time of year is "joy."  It sings to us from carols, calls to us from cards, marches across banners in the mall.  I've heard it said that JOY is found by putting your focus and priorities in the proper order: J   esus   O  thers  Y  ourself   Is this "priority of focus" how St. Paul could write, in the face of persecutions, "I am filled with consolation, and despite my many afflictions my joy knows no bounds." (2 Corinthians 7:4)..? Is this "priority of focus" what enabled some of the Church's greatest saints to endure adversities with joy?  I pray that we may we all burst forth with "the joy of right priorities" at this holy time of year.   “Rejoice in the Lord always!  I say it again: rejoice!” (Philippians 4:4)    from The Cloistered Heart

People do not realize how deceptive the demon is and how careful we must be to avoid his traps.   There are so many reasons to question this apparition and to seek God for discernment.  1.  The apparition makes Our Blessed Mother look foolish, benign and irrelevant.  When you look at the apparitions at Fatima and Lourdes, they were limited, specific in location and nature.  This is not the case at Medjugorje.  These 'seers' having visions of our Blessed Mother where ever THEY are which is not in accordance with our Mother's dignity and grace.  She 'speaks' everyday, and is very repetitive in her messages.  The demon is not above speaking what he knows is true if it will water down that truth.  The 'seers' see the Blessed Virgin no matter where THEY go.  In the past it was Our Lady that asked the visionary to come to her, the messages were specific, urgent and very relevant.  The messages were also brief in length and scope. When you watch the same show

He will come, He  will  come. I can trust that He will come. For He comes even on a  frosty whisper, Lighting the darkness with pinpoints of hope Just as the stars appear each dark night. He will come, Inspite  of myself. His arrival does not depend on my preparations. Only that I wait expectantly in the dark. In the silence  read more>

Just 12 days now 'til Christmas!! ...Not to be confused with THE Twelve Days of Christmas, of course.  But I saw an amusing health article this evening (December 13th) that I thought was rather creative (& silly) about a very different kind of 12 days: " the 12 days of fitness ”... involving an accumulating circuit of exercises over a twelve-day period [per Huffington Post]. So naturally I started singing it along to the classic tune!  Here goes... On the 1st day of fitness, my true love gave to me, a one-minute plank to do.  On the 2nd day of fitness, my true love gave to me, two-minute wall squat, and a 1-minute plank to do.  On the 3rd day of fitness, my true love gave to me, 3-minute bridge, 2-minute wall squat, and a 1-minute plank to do.   On the 4 th day of fitness, my true love gave to me… [See link for complete list]  http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/12/12/12-days-of-fitness_n_4277152.html?utm_hp_ref=health-fitness&ir=Health+and+Fitness

St John the Baptist in Prison ,  Juan Fernandéz de Navarrete, 1565-70 [ 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 11:2-11  ( New Revised Standard Version, Catholic Edition : Canada) When John heard in prison what the Messiah   was doing, he sent word by his   disciples   and said to Jesus, “Are you the one who is to come, or are we to wait for another?”   Jesus answered them, “Go and tell John what you hear and see:   the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, the lepers   are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor have good news brought to them.   And blessed is anyone who takes no offense at me.” As they went away, Jesus began to speak to the crowds about John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to look at? A reed s