Association Of Catholic Bloggers

             La palabra adviento, del latín adventus, quiere decir Llegada, y la llegada a la que nos hemos de preparar es la del Hijo de Dios que se hace hombre sin dejar de ser  Dios.        Tiempo santo que celebra la Iglesia desde el domingo primero de los cuatro que preceden a la Natividad de Nuestro Señor Jesucristo hasta la vigilia de esta fiesta. Así el año eclesiástico de la Iglesia Católica comienza con este Domingo de  Adviento. leer más...  

Are you looking for a church?    Are you looking for a place with friendly people? Sound doctrine? A sense of belonging? Pizza? Today we learn right from Jesus how deeply connected our life is to be with our discipleship in him.   He was warning people of his time not to just run off and follow whoever comes along.   There were false prophets in his day that people needed to be leery of following. Same for us today.    How do we know, though, where to go? Well, in today’s reading Jesus gives us a great visual image so that we should have no trouble distinguishing the way to go. Be sure to check out today’s episode of Opening God’s Word and then spend some quiet time just listening to God. I hope you have a blessed day in God’s Word! Janet Cassidy janetcassidy.blogspot.com janetcassidy.blubrry.net

Before I send you to today's episode of Opening God's Word , I would like to give a word of encouragement to those of you who do not listen to podcasts. I hope you will give it a try.  All you need is an Internet connection and speakers.  You can do it through your computer or phone.  Just click on the link (which is often simply highlighted) and it will take you to the site where you can listen. Remember, the daily scripture reflections are very short, so they serve as a little window into God's Word.  Cassidy Comments are longer podcasts, but they are both found on the one website - janetcassidy.blubrry.net I hope you will take a chance, and give it a try! Okay, on to today's podcast, which is an episode of Opening God's Word: Are you ready?   I sure hope so!     Here we are in the first week of Advent, reading Isaiah and Matthew.   Isaiah reminds us that God will always take care of us and wipe away every tear! We sure want that, don’

In today’s Gospel, we hear about the loaves and the fishes; the miracle that Jesus performs to feed 4,000 people who sat with Jesus for several days. They are hungry. With compassion, Jesus asks his disciples, “ How many loaves do you have?” “Seven,” they replied, “and a few fish”  (Matt 15:34). Seven loaves of bread and a few fish seem a paltry sum for feeding so many people. Yet, how many loaves are enough for Jesus? I say He could accomplish the same fete with just one loaf of bread, for He is God.  Jesus can do anything! Yet, the seven loaves and the few fish feed 4,000 men and an uncounted number of women and children, with seven baskets full of bread left over. God is good and generous! We All Need Some ‘Loaves and Fishes’ Moments This miracle is noted within the Bible to demonstrate to us that with God, all things are possible. Even the most unfathomable thing is possible for God, the source of all goodness. God knows what we need and will ... Read more...

I want you to take a minute and think about something that you were desperately looking forward to, something that you had been planning and preparing for and were really excited about.   Maybe it was a trip, or a wedding, or the birth of a child. Capture that anticipation. Consider how you prepared for it. What did that feel like? And when it finally arrived, how did you feel? Are you feeling that same over-the-top excitement right now, as you look forward to Christmas?    If you are not feeling that way about our upcoming celebration of THE BIG EVENT, then I might be able to offer you a solution that will put you in the right mindset. Advent. Too often we skip right over the season of Advent, which is such a wonderful time, a gift to us really, as we begin the new church year.    If you haven’t heard of Advent, or if you are minimally familiar with it, let me tell you about it.   It will change everything for you.   It will introduce a new traditi

Do you have the faith and confidence of the centurion in the Gospel of Matthew (Chapter 8) in today’s reading? In this episode of Opening God’s Word we are encouraged to trust in Jesus before we experience the healing we need in our life. Persevere in asking God for what you need, but remember, prayer is an act of submission to God’s will, and even though we think we know what is best, we have to trust in God, who loves us without fail. As we begin this season of Advent and look forward to the coming of Christ at Christmas, let us prepare joyfully, in faith, for this miraculous event. I hope you have a blessed day in God’s Word. Janet Cassidy janetcassidy.blogspot.com janetcassidy.blubrry.net

Today, I welcome Janice Lane Palko, who will tell us all about her new book,  Our Lady of the Roses . Janice, I turn over the website to you. How a Short Story Becomes a Novel Many writers look upon their books as their babies. If so, then my latest novel,  Our Lady of the Roses , was an unintended pregnancy. I didn’t set out to write this book, but as the late painter, Bob Ross, used to say, I’ve come to regard it as a “happy accident.” One of the marketing tips the experts advise authors to employ is to offer a free short story to readers to introduce them to the author’s writing style and entice them to purchase their other books. I’ve written many different things—articles, press releases, speeches, novels–but for some reason the short story eludes me. My short story always explodes into a novel. I don’t know why, but my main character soon acquires a best friend, backstory and complex story arc. Therefore, I wasn’t surprised when Janetta, who appeared as a secondary char

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Most normal people are happy around Thanksgiving for family, friends, food and all of the good things in life. Me?   Well, I didn’t have to peel any potatoes or wash any dishes—because I sliced my thumb on a can of cream of mushroom soup as we were preparing our meal. I think I may have found a unique tradition for Thanksgiving!   It really worked quite well. Fortunately, it wasn’t so bad that I needed stitches, just a good bandaid, which I am now considering wearing well-beyond the stage where my thumb is healed up. Deceitful?   Nah, not me.   I just know a silver lining when I see one! We were talking quite a bit about ethics over Thanksgiving as one of our daughters had an issue come up that necessitated her making an ethical decision that some of us might have found very difficult.   For her, it was a no-brainer, and she made the right decision; we are very proud of her. Curiosity and temptation were the base issue surrounding her decision. Curiosity has su

Madonna del Terremoto (Our Lady of the Earthquake) Francesco di Giorgio Martini  [ 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 24:37-44 ( New Revised Standard Version, Anglicised Catholic Edition, Canada)     Jesus said to his disciples: ‘For as the days of Noah were, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day Noah entered the ark, and they knew nothing until the flood came and swept them all away, so too will be the coming of the Son of Man. Then two will be in the field; one will be taken and one will be left. Two women will be grinding meal together; one will be taken and one will be left.  ‘Keep awake therefore, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming.

        ¿QUÉ HACEIS AHÍ PARADOS, MIRANDO AL CIELO? ESE MISMO JESÚS QUE OS HA DEJADO PARA SUBIR AL CIELO, VOLVERÁ COMO LOS HABEIS VISTO ALEJARSE    Hechos de los Apóstoles 1,1-11 .       A estos hombres que veían como el Maestro, el amigo Jesús, el resucitado de entre los muertos, el que había pasado cuarenta días con ellos después de haberlo visto morir en la cruz un día viernes, hablando y comiendo con ellos… se iba, como ya les había dicho terminada su misión, a volver con el Padre…. Pero también que un día volvería…..    leer más...

As we approach Thanksgiving Day, tomorrow, I have much to be thankful for and, therefore, consider this time of year to be a time for Gratitude. I am grateful for a deep, strong faith in God, who is always there for me. He blesses me with all that I need, and graces me with even more. I am thankful for my husband of 40+ years, and for his love; a mirror of God’s love for me. When we count our blessings our moods lift. When we realize all for which we are grateful, we come to realize that we have much. I don’t have a palace. Yet, I do have a very nice home that keeps me warm and dry in the winter, and cool in the summer. I don’t dine in fine restaurants every evening. Yet, I have enough food on the table every day, so that I do not go hungry. My clothes do not come from designer racks. Yet,they do what they need to do, and I dress just fine. I don’t need the fanciest car to make my life complete. Rather, I just need ... Read more...

What would you do if a mysterious hand appeared on a wall in front of you and wrote and message that you couldn’t read? I’ll bet you would search for someone who could give you the message. Well, that’s what happened to the king in today’s reading from the Book of Daniel. Tune in to the latest episode of Opening God's Word and find out the three things that were in that message and who it came from. Is it possible that from this Old Testament book we can find an important word for us today?   This is a striking passage and I hope you will check it out for yourself. And after you do that, please spend some time learning a little more about this book and give yourself some quiet time to see if God might be speaking into your life. I hope you have a blessed day in God’s Word. Janet Cassidy janetcassidy.blogspot.com janetcassidy.blubrry.net

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I’ve got a secret that I will share with you today.   I want to make sure that you are ready for the end.   Like the followers of Jesus in Luke 21, you might be asking, “What sign will there be when all these things are about to happen?” What does Jesus say about the coming of the end of the world? You won’t want to miss this episode of Opening God’s Word ! Give me just a few minutes of your time today so you, too, will be in on the secret. I would bet that you know a few people that would be interested in this topic.   Please share this podcast with anyone you think might benefit from it. I hope you have a blessed day in God’s Word! Janet Cassidy janetcassidy.blogspot.com janetcassidy.blubrry.net

Thoughts on the Scandal I remember my heartbreak over the sexual abuse scandal, when it broke a little over a year ago.  As survivors came forward, it was clear that there was something rotten within the heads of the Catholic Church and in the Vatican. Mccarrick was subsequently defrocked (in February of this year.) My conversation with friends about the state of the Church as this scandal was unfolding was basically the same thing: heartbreak.  The decades-long crisis cut across generations, denominations, states, and countries. Despite my disgust at the state of the unity of the Catholic Church, and my literal distance from the abuse crisis, my conviction is in staying with the Church and focusing on her beauty, even in her darkest times. The biggest question, in my humble opinion, is to ask who is to blame? Cardinal Dinardo stated in the wake of the scandal, "Innocent men may be tainted by false accusation, or guilty men may be left to repeat the sins of the past.&quo

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Let’s talk money! Wait! Before you decide you don’t want to hear anything about money + church, just give me a few minutes of your time. In today’s episode of Opening God’s Word I reflect on what Jesus has to say about our contribution and give my own testimony from “behind the scenes” as to the importance of our—long, sustained—financial support of the church’s ministry and overall mission. Even St. Paul understood the need for a community’s support and it’s no different today! Let’s talk about giving for the decaying church roof vs long-term giving. I’m going to share with you my view of tithing as well! This is an important passage that shows us that even Jesus didn’t shy away from financial stuff, so neither should we! Janet Cassidy janetcassidy.blogspot.com janetcassidy.blubrry.net

We’ve reached that point during the year where showing compassion seems to be on turbo-drive. For some reason, as we approach Thanksgiving and Christmas our hearts melt and compassion gushes forth from all of us. Maybe it’s because when we show compassion, we become more like Christ, and that’s a great feeling. Well, I’ve got a plan to make that feeling come alive 24/7/365. Show Compassion My wish is that the depth of compassion that we experience during this time of year could be spread over the entire year, 24/7/365. Yet, just like in the retail business, where stores enter the “black” on Black Friday (the day after Thanksgiving), our souls enter the “white” of purity at this time of year when we open our hearts to others. Maybe we could “go white” year-round! We show our compassion when we: Read more...

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I was sitting in Mass one day and three women and a child were in front of me.   I noticed they started sort of huddling together and then I realized they were passing around hand sanitizer before receiving Holy Communion. I get that. But, what was so very sad to me was that they were doing all of this fussing, which included a quiet exchange about the smell of the sanitizer, during the Lamb of God prayer. They were 100% clueless of the prayer that was being prayed because they were focused on the smell of their hand sanitizer.   For those of you who do not know this prayer that comes at a significant time during the Mass, it goes like this: Lamb of God you take away the sins of the world, have mercy on us. Lamb of God you take away the sins of the world, have mercy on us. Lamb of God you take away the sins of the world, grant us peace. I would like to refer you to a blog ( To Jesus Sincerely ) that gives some more information about the significance of the pray

Do you need a kick in the pants?   Looking for some motivation?    Is it time to change your ways, or are you ready to make a difference? Today’s episode of Opening God’s Word may be just what you need. Jesus is in the temple, cleaning it out.   The prophet Jeremiah—centuries before Jesus—is speaking very candidly to the people about changing their ways. Let God speak to you today.   Take his words to heart and see what he might be asking you to do! I hope you have a blessed day in God’s Word!   Please subscribe to this podcast and my blog  and join me in spreading God’s Word by sharing this with a friend. Janet Cassidy janetcassidy.blogspot.com janetcassidy.blubrry.net

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Christ in Majesty   Italian Mosaic Artist  [ 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 23:35-43 ( New Revised Standard Version, Anglicised Catholic Edition, Canada)     And the people stood by, watching; but the leaders scoffed at Jesus, saying, ‘He saved others; let him save himself if he is the Messiah of God, his chosen one!’ The soldiers also mocked him, coming up and offering him sour wine, and saying, ‘If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!’ There was also an inscription over him, ‘This is the King of the Jews.’ One of the criminals who were hanged there kept deriding him and saying, ‘Are you not the Messiah?    Save yourself and us!’ But the other rebuked him, saying, ‘Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? And we indeed have bee