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  I was watching a video of the comedian Jamie Foxx accepting an award. It was his first time out since a medical event seriously impacted his life. Although he has never disclosed the event, it was obvious during his acceptance speech, that he had been deeply, emotionally affected by it. In his speech, he used this quote, which I thought was right on the mark: "As your grandmother always says, the devil is busy trying to shape and form your perception." If you are being shaped, and your perception is being formed, be sure that you are on solid ground as to who is influencing you. Janet Cassidy janetcassidy.com Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/reflectionsinfaith/  

  I read a little snippet years ago about a priest who was deathly ill. He was recounting the importance of the prayers of others, for him, when he was too sick to pray himself. Sometimes, when we, or someone we care for is sick, we may find ourselves too exhausted to put much energy into prayer. It is then that we come to fully appreciate how beneficial it is to have people around us who support us in this way. I think it is worth noting, however, that you may have people who love and care for you, that are not pray-ers. They may not understand the benefits of prayer, but want to help. I would suggest that you encourage them to ask God, in their own words, for help. You see, our understanding of prayer is not a requirement to pray, for God hears and answers all prayers. The work is God's, not ours. Our part is the offering--even if our understanding or belief is lacking in some way. Janet Cassidy janetcassidy.com Follow me on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/reflections

Text characters, the ones used online at any rate, include symbols that aren't letters of the alphabet, punctuation, or numbers. So far, so obvious. I was replying to comments this afternoon, and figured I'd use the emoji/dingbat/whatever "okay" hand sign. It seemed like a good idea at the time. But I also figured that, since folks who don't live in my part of the world read this, I'd better do a little research.... More at A Catholic Citizen in America . (An unexpectedly naughty gesture &mdash or &mdash why I used a snowflake symbol.)

  I was talking to someone the other day and she asked me if we had our Christmas tree decorated and all our lights up. I told her that we're Catholic and we celebrate Advent first. She said, "I don't really know what Advent is," so I gave her a brief explanation of it.   I told her that Advent is the four weeks leading up to Christmas. It is a peaceful time of waiting. I told her we do decorate trees and celebrate, but that our celebration begins on Christmas. That was pretty much the whole conversation. Yes, there could have been a lot more we could have talked about, but since this was more of a passing conversation, that's where it ended. I'm learning not to overshare and I try to "read" the level of interest. Take the opportunities that God gives you and leave the rest to him. Trust that he will take these seeds and make them grow. I hope you have a beautiful beginning to Advent, which starts this week. Janet Cassidy janetcassidy.com   Fol

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  Bishop Robert Barron gives a good description of Advent in his sermon today ("You Can't Save Yourself"), which can be found on his wordonfire website.    He says that the heart of Christianity is recognizing our need for a savior, and that Advent is the time when we contemplate God's grace and our need for it.   It's a good one, and a great way to start Advent, so I encourage you to watch it!   Janet Cassidy janetcassidy.com Will you follow me on Facebook?  I can be found at: https://www.facebook.com/reflectionsinfaith/ Have you seen my videos on YouTube?  They can be found at: https://www.youtube.com/@janetcassidy

Quite a bit has changed over the last couple millennia. And some things haven't. One of the things that hasn't changed is human nature: which is good news and bad news, depending on how I look at it. I'd started writing about that, when my oldest daughter and I ran into an all-to-common opinion about religion. The narrator of a video we were watching said that religion was silly. Then he said something like 'isn't that an unforgivable sin?' The phrase is fairly common in English-speaking cultures. It's "Biblical" in the sense that it refers to a sentence in Matthew. Since I'm a Catholic, I do not think the unforgivable sin is using the wrong fork at a formal dinner. I'll get back to that. At any rate, here's my shorter-than-planned review of (comparatively) recent events, along with how I see sin (original, unforgivable and otherwise); and why Advent matters: Politics, Ideas, and Technology: 20 Centuries in 138 Words After th

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Young Jew as Christ , Rembrandt  [ Web Gallery of Art ] Readings   (New American Bible: Philippines, USA) Readings   (Jerusalem Bible: Australia, England & Wales, Ireland, New Zealand, Pakistan, Scotland, South Africa) Gospel   Mark 13:33-37 ( English Standard Version Anglicised: India). Jesus said to his disciples: “Be on guard, keep awake. For you do not know when the time will come.   It is like a man going on a journey, when he leaves home and puts his servants in charge, each with his work, and commands the doorkeeper to stay awake.     Therefore stay awake—for you do not know when the master of the house will come, in the evening, or at midnight, or when the cock crows, or in the morning—   lest he come suddenly and find you asleep.   And what I say to you I say to all: Stay awake.” Léachtaí i nGaeilge Liam Whelan   (1 April 1935 - 5 February 1958) If this is the end, then I'm ready for it .  These were the last words of Liam Whelan who died in a plane crash at Munich Air

  I've been thinking about Jesus, the Great Healer. When we need to seek medical care, we go to our doctor or the hospital with an expectation that we will find relief. Do we seek Jesus, who saves us, in the same way, with the same expectation? We know (hopefully) that Jesus is the One who died so that we might have eternal life with God in heaven after our human life is done. It's not magic, but divine power that makes this possible. If your doctor tells you what you need to get better, you will do your best (although maybe imperfectly) to do what he says, because you want to be healed. Listen today, to those who follow Jesus, and hear what they are saying about the love of God, eternal life in heaven, and the sacrifice that makes it all possible. Just like your doctor, who cannot force you to do what is good for you, God will not force you either, but it is a wise person who seeks relief in Jesus. Janet Cassidy janetcassidy.com Facebook:   https://www.facebook.com/reflectio

Advent doesn't start for another week, but my country's Christmas season is already off to a running start. I've mentioned Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, Buckster Bunny and "I Yust Go Nuts at Christmas" before. Maybe I will again, but not this week. This is another 'clip post': excerpts from stuff I’ve posted before.... More at A Catholic Citizen in America . (A quick pre-Advent review: Deborah, Barak, and Jael,wife of Heber; Judith and editors; examination of conscience. Also the Macy parade and Buckster Bunny.)

The Last Judgement , Michelangelo  [ Web Gallery of Art ] Readings   (Jerusalem Bible: Australia, England & Wales, Ireland, New Zealand, Pakistan, Scotland) Readings   (New American Bible: Philippines, USA) Gospel   Matthew 25:31-46  ( English Standard Version Anglicised, India) Jesus said to his disciples: “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne.   Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.   And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left.   Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.   For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me,   I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and yo

Jordan Navor and Louella 'Lala' Vicente I have used the photo above many times, especially to mark  Lala's birthday on 27 September , the feast of St Vincent de Paul. It was taken in  L'Arche  in Cainta, Rizal, part of the Metro Manila sprawl. Jordan, born with multiple disabilities, became part of the community as a child and I met him many times over the years. Lala joined some years later.  Punla , the Tagalog for seedling, is the official name of the community. I was very saddened to learn yesterday of Jordan's death on Wednesday. But my instinctive reaction was a conviction that he is now surely in heaven with God. In the Irish language we have a beautiful expression for someone like Jordan:  duine le Dia  - a person with God. He was someone who was a great grace to those who knew him because he drew out their generosity and love in responding to his needs. The photo at the top shows this beautifully. The photos above and below of Jordan, taken from the  Facebo

  I have to admit, on this sacred shopping day, I'm not much of a shopper. There really isn't anything I NEED. I'm more at that stage in life where I am trying to get rid of stuff. So on this day, I won't be online or at the stores early. I may just make it a lazy day and enjoy our Thanksgiving day leftovers. We had a laugh the other day when talking about one of my brothers who is traveling with his wife to England for a wedding this weekend. I commented that it seemed a little unusual for someone to plan a wedding for Thanksgiving weekend. Duh. Naturally, Thanksgiving, as a holiday, wouldn't have any significance to the people of England, like it does to us (although some do celebrate the autumnal harvest.) We Americans sometimes think that the rest of the world is just like us. This type of thinking is evidenced by those of us who go overseas and say or do things that would be okay in the U.S.A., but lands them in jail in other countries. I've often thou

  Gobble Gobble! I heard on the news the other day that many of us overeat on Thanksgiving. What a surprise! They showed a couple of people who had lost 100-200 pounds and they were talking about how they just don't eat as much as they used to. I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving but be sure not to over-stuff, and while you're at it, thank God for the opportunity to serve up love, patience, and self-restraint at your table, and in your conversations, as needed! Janet Cassidy janetcassidy.com Follow me on Facebook:   https://www.facebook.com/reflectionsinfaith

This week will be less routine than usual, partly due to Thanksgiving Day. I'll be staying home, and haven't decided whether or not I'll try finding free online streaming of Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade. This — and probably my regular 'Saturday' post — will be the text equivalent of a clip show: excerpts from stuff I've posted before. So: Happy Thanksgiving Day, Greetings on November 23, or whatever seems appropriate. More at A Catholic Citizen in America . (Stuff happens: wealth and poverty, sickness and health. None of that is a sure sign of virtue or sin. What I do with what I've got: that is what matters.)

  I was reading an unfamiliar passage from the Second Book of Maccabees yesterday (Chapter 6, Verse 31). The story, simply put, was about someone (Eleazar) who was given the choice of pretending to eat something he shouldn't, so he could live, or die refusing it. He chose the latter. In the last verse of this chapter, it says, he left "a model of courage and an unforgettable example of virtue not only for the young but for the whole nation." When we lean into those, like scripture says, we set an example for others. In what way is God calling you to be courageous? How do you practice virtue? According to the "Catechism of the Catholic Church (¶1803)": "A virtue is an habitual and firm disposition to do the good. It allows the person not only to perform good acts, but to give the best of himself." Courage is a moral virtue, which helps us to be strong when faced with difficulties as we pursue good. Like Eleazar, we may need to take the hard road, whic

  I went on retreat recently (if you've never been, you need to do it!) and I got stuck on Psalm 140. Thinking I might not be alone in needing to hear what this Psalm has to say, I thought I would share some of the highlights of it here. If you have ever been aware of the various ways the evil one works his way between God and us, you are not alone. Way back when this Psalm was written, it was quite clear that the author understood that we need God to get us out of the messes in which we find ourselves. Once we know this, our prayer turns to asking for God's grace, as we know we can be tempted to give into our weaknesses. What a relief it is to know that we don't have to go it alone and that God overpowers any evil snares we fall into. "Keep me, Lord, from the clutches of the wicked; preserve me from the violent, who plot to trip me up." Sometimes we need to be protected from ourselves, don't you think? Pride, over-confidence, stubbornness, etc. Satan kno

    As you know I posted my interview last week with Amanda Daloisio, one of the Managing Editors of the Catholic Worker, a newspaper started by Dorothy Day back in 1933. We covered a lot of interesting topics in our discussion and I thought it was a very timely interview, considering everything going on throughout the world. You can imagine my surprise when I checked my posting the morning it was to be published and it had been removed by Facebook because it said it potentially contained some partially false information. They re-posted it, but they kept a warning attached to it. I hope that doesn't scare you away from watching it if you came across the warning. The truth is, there is nothing in the video that needs a warning because there is absolutely nothing false about the information contained in it. I'm really not sure why it was marked, but I think the best way to handle this is to send you to my YouTube Channel, where you can easily find the video. Just go to https:/