Association Of Catholic Bloggers

Do you love others like you love a pepperoni pizza, or do you practice a selfless love like Jesus did? What Jesus did for us, and what he asks us to do for each other, goes far beyond the way we think of love today. In today's episode of Opening God's Word I look at how our seemingly ordinary acts of service can be transformed into acts of genuine, sacrificial love. I hope you have a blessed day in God's Word! Janet Cassidy janetcassidy.blogspot.com janetcassidy.blubrry.net

Many years ago when we established our Lay Dominican group, we had to decide on a name.   We decided to pray about it and then put everyone’s suggestion in a bowl and whatever name we drew out was the name we agreed to use. Was this divinely inspired or a random selection? I was thinking about this today in light of the first reading from Acts of the Apostles (Chapter 1) where lots are drawn to replace Judas (who had betrayed Jesus). It does seem that we used a modern-day lots-casting to choose the name of our group.     Anyway, I started researching the practice of lots, which, as usual, led to more questions.   It was a practice used in the Old Testament for selecting leaders, but as I mentioned, was also used in today’s New Testament reading. I highly recommend this short video by Catholic Apologist Jeff Cavins on this subject and its practice. Is it something we should do today? Like our Lay Dominican group, prayer to the Holy Spirit should be our prac

Our youngest daughter got us a game for Christmas called Speak Out .   Believe it or not, we were just able to play it for the first time this week.   Through January-February I had been sick, and then time got away from us in March and April.   As you might imagine, I have been anxiously waiting for a time when we were together without anyone being sick, so we could play it. If you are not familiar with this game, let me explain it.   It comes with adult and kid-sized plastic spreaders for your mouth.   Once inserted, you have to try to speak non-sensical phrases and get your partner to guess them.   To picture it, imagine you are sitting in a dentist chair having a root canal and trying to talk. We literally laughed until we cried.   It was so much fun and so hilarious to try to figure out what we were each saying.   As a side note, I must say that I had to switch from the adult size to the kid size because of my tiny little mouth. (Okay, nobody believes that’s the reason,

Madonna of the Rosary Lorenzo Lotto [ Web Gallery of Art ] ' The Rosary belongs among the finest and most praiseworthy traditions of Christian contemplation. Developed in the West, it is a typically meditative prayer, corresponding in some way to the “prayer of the heart” or “Jesus prayer” which took root in the soil of the Christian East.' [St John Paul II,  Rosarium Virginis Mariae , No 5.] The Rosary here is the formula prayed by members of the  Legion of Mary , the way I prefer. There are various ways of beginning and ending the Rosary but the Five Mysteries are the heart of the prayer.  In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.  Come, O Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of Your faithful, and enkindle in them the fire of Your love. v. Send forth Your Spirit, O Lord, and they shall be created. R. And You shall renew the face of the earth. Let us pray. God our Father, pour out the gifts of Your Holy Spirit on the worl

The Virgin Showing the Man of Sorrows Hans Memling [ Web Gallery of Art ] The Rosary belongs among the finest and most praiseworthy traditions of Christian contemplation. Developed in the West, it is a typically meditative prayer, corresponding in some way to the “prayer of the heart” or “Jesus prayer” which took root in the soil of the Christian East.' [St John Paul II,   Rosarium Virginis Mariae , No 5.] The Rosary here is the formula prayed by members of the  Legion of Mary , the way I prefer. There are various ways of beginning and ending the Rosary but the Five Mysteries are the heart of the prayer.  In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.  Come, O Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of Your faithful, and enkindle in them the fire of Your love. v. Send forth Your Spirit, O Lord, and they shall be created. R. And You shall renew the face of the earth. Let us pray. God our Father, pour out the gifts of Your Holy Spirit