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Distance

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I have heard today’s Gospel reading many times, as I’m sure you have as well. We hear of Zacchaeus, a well-known tax collector that took more than his share from the people. Still, Jesus tells him to come down from the tree and states that Jesus will be staying at his house. Everyone else is appalled. How could Jesus associate himself with a tax collector of all people! Doesn’t he know?!

Well… Here’s the thing; Jesus was insanely radical.

Today, many of us are blessed to know Jesus’ name. Many people associate Jesus with traditionalism and being conservative. At the time, Jesus was this amazing man with super crazy ideas. He rebuked the church officials. He publically spoke against laws. He touched the lepers. He chose to stay with well-known sinners. Jesus encouraged the inspection of traditions and the introspection of one’s own self.

In today’s Gospel, Jesus does this again in a way that we think we are familiar with because we have heard the story. In our own lives, it is alien and almost taboo to us. This is because we often like to distance ourselves from the people we see as “bad” or the “other” when, in reality, there is not much difference between any of us. That is not to say that there are not any differences, but there are often more similarities than differences. 

Still, we tell ourselves that if someone has a vastly different lifestyle that we cannot associate ourselves with them. I often hear the term, “guilty by association,” but no one ever talks about the joy and love of God rubbing off on other people. 

I know that in my life, my faith and trust in God has changed the hearts of others. I have dated people that knew nothing of Catholicism, and through (a lot of) patience and non-judgemental conversation, they now know and understand their own faith that much more. I have had friends that I drag with me to Mass and then had them tell me, “I didn’t know that’s what you believe.” I have had family members that have stopped practicing their faith, hear me talk about how much I love being Catholic, and having that Catholic community, then text me that they started going back to Mass. 

My favorite instances are when I am at a smoky bar or a rock concert, a drink in hand, and begin talking about my faith with the people around me. It normally begins with people asking where I work, and then I usually get the once-difficult question of, “How can you work for a Catholic company after everything with the priests?” I explain that priests are flawed people too, that Judas was Catholic, that this is all coming to light because we are honoring the truth, that God/Jesus/Holy Spirit and his followers are two separate things. 

Then I listen to what they have to say.

It is through patient conversations, not arguments that I see the tiny spark of a conversion of heart. This does not happen from a distance. It happens with friends, family, and strangers that we come in contact with every day. As we approach the holiday season, we must welcome the sinner and be a witness to our faith and our God just as Jesus did, regardless of how different we think they are. 

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Veronica Alvarado is a born and raised Texan currently living in Michigan. Since graduating from Texas A&M University, Veronica has published various articles in the Catholic Diocese of Austin’s official newspaper, the Catholic Spirit, and other local publications. She now works as the Content Specialist in Diocesan’s Web Department.

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Seeing is Believing

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I have a confession to make: I don’t notice things. I’ll have spent half an hour with someone, and they’ll finally ask, “So what do you think of my new glasses?” I never realized they were wearing new glasses—or a new haircut, or a new dress, or whatever the fairly obvious to anyone but me change might be. A friend of mine drives a bright aqua (i.e., very noticeable) Jeep, and she’ll say, “I drove right by you this morning and waved,” and of course, I’ll have had no idea. I’d like to think it’s because I’m constantly Thinking Deep Thoughts, but I’m afraid that’s not the answer. I just don’t notice things.

That’s not very nice, of course. People like you to notice; noticing shows that you care about them, that you’re paying attention, that they’re important to you. I do care, and so I’ve tried over time to train myself to notice things. And I end up being ridiculous, commenting on a “new chair” that the person in question has had forever and that I’ve probably sat in many times without noticing. Oops.

Seeing is important. Seeing others, really seeing them, is an essential part of living in community. It enables us to transcend differences, to form bonds, to delight in shared values. And despite my apparent inability to notice the world around me, I always feel that the most traumatic loss of a sense would be the loss of sight. It’s difficult enough to navigate life with my eyes open; I can’t imagine doing it were they to be permanently closed.

And that’s where we start with today’s Gospel reading: with a blind man. You’ve probably noticed the number of blind people referenced in Scripture; diseases of the eye leading to blindness were widespread in the ancient world. There was little those afflicted could do by way of work, so most were reduced to begging. And so it was with this fellow—Mark’s Gospel identifies him as Bartimaeus—who is on the roadside outside Jericho. He is poor, he is blind, and he is clearly a nuisance; when he learns that Jesus is passing and calls out, everyone around tells him to shut up.

It’s a small story, this; someone calls upon Jesus for help, shows their faith, and is cured. There are other similar stories scattered like jewels throughout the Gospels. But this one contains more than one simple storyline, and it’s worth taking a second look—noticing—to see what those storylines are.

First, there’s the fact that this blind man, someone who clearly lived on the fringes of society, knew who Jesus was. He’s not stupid; he’s well-informed and attentive. He notices things. He’s noticed the size of the crowd and knows what that means; and when he’s told who is passing, he knows exactly who Jesus is and what he can do.

Second, he is willing to claim his rights. He shouts; the good citizens around him, embarrassed, try to hush him, but he shouts. He’s determined. He doesn’t let them tell him how he should behave. He doesn’t let them make decisions for him.

Third—and this is particularly interesting—Jesus asks him a question. “What do you want me to do for you?” It probably drew some irritation from the people pressing on with Jesus, anxious to get to Jericho, perhaps thinking longingly of a fire and an evening meal. Of course he wants to be cured! What else could he possibly want? Do it and let’s move on!

They’re right, of course; he did ask to be given his sight, and that’s what Jesus did for him. But Jesus didn’t make any assumptions. He let the man choose. He showed this blind beggar the respect no one else had. He treated him as a valued human being.

What do you want me to do for you?

Have we come so very far from the people who told this blind beggar to be quiet? The poor can be a nuisance because they disrupt our comfortable lives. How do we look at people who are poor, people with disabilities? Do we treat them as valued human beings? Do we even notice them?

Seeing them, truly seeing them, is believing they are sacred, special to God. The more we see, the more we will believe and understand that we’re all children of God, beloved by our Creator and worthy of being noticed. When we can ask of others, “What do you want me to do for you?” instead of assuming we know best what someone else needs, then we too will be closer to Jesus—on that road to Jericho, and in our own modern lives.

It really is all about noticing!

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Jeannette de Beauvoir is a writer and editor with the digital department of Pauline Books & Media, working on projects as disparate as newsletters, book clubs, ebooks, and retreats that support the apostolate of the Daughters of St. Paul at http://www.pauline.org.

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Outside of Time

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Today’s readings are pretty tough to swallow, being not only about hell but also about the end time and not knowing the precise moment. It is easy to look at these readings and be confused as to why we would not be told when Jesus will come for the second time. It seems that a loving God would tell us the exact date so we can get our things in order and prepare, but this gives us a window into one of the more profound truths about God.

Theologians over the years have talked about God being outside of time as we know it today. As Catholics, we call this the eternal now. That everything is present to God at all times. The past, the present, and the future are all known to him in every single moment because it is God who holds all of those moments in being.

This is hard for us to understand as human beings because it is so different from our experience of alarms, schedules, and age. But it’s beautiful because it shows us that our time here on earth, our literal seconds ticking by, is just a drop in the ocean compared to eternity with God. Life might not be perfect, it might be incredibly difficult and filled with suffering, it might have its ups and downs, but we were not meant for this, we were meant for eternal bliss with God forever.

If God sees everything, past, present, and future, then on the cross as he was suffering for us, he was also suffering with us. He saw every suffering we would ever experience and experienced it with us to help us through it. He was already giving us the grace we needed to endure. Why do you think he sweat blood? That’s a lot of pressure, the suffering of all people for all time being offered on the cross.

It may sometimes seem like God doesn’t have a plan or doesn’t care. There is a lot of suffering in the world. But God sees the whole picture. He sees that there is something beyond this world that we are made for. He sees that this world is not the end. He wants us to experience love not only for these ticking seconds on earth but for infinity and beyond. From all of us here at Diocesan, God Bless!

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Tommy Shultz is a Solutions Evangelist for Diocesan. In that role, he is committed to coaching parishes and dioceses on authentic and effective Catholic communication. Tommy has a heart and a flair for inspiring people to live their faith every day. He has worked in various youth ministry, adult ministry, and diocesan roles. He has been a featured speaker at retreats and events across the country. His mission and drive have been especially inspired by St. John Paul II’s teachings. Tommy is blessed to be able to learn from the numerous parishes he visits and pass that experience on in his presentations. Contact him at tshultz@diocesan.com.

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Perhaps Today

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Your all-powerful word, from heaven’s royal throne
bounded, a fierce warrior, into the doomed land,
bearing the sharp sword of your inexorable decree.
And as he alighted, he filled every place with death;
he still reached to heaven, while he stood upon the earth.

Wow-what an image of the Logos – the Word of God who was God and the maker of all things (John 1: 1-5). I don’t know about you, but as I look around me at the culture, the church, and individual behavior, I think I’d like to see Jesus return as a fierce warrior, filling the earth.

Growing up in a conservative Protestant church, we heard about Christ’s imminent return quite a bit. A famous church leader, M. R DeHaan, even had a motto on his desk that read, “Perhaps today.” He wanted to be reminded daily that Christ could return – would he be ready? I’m not sure I’m as ready as I should be, but I would like to see Him bound from Heaven and fill the earth.

Then we read the Gospel and find a parable that seems somewhat simple compared to such apocalyptic words from Wisdom. A poor widow woman needs justice, and a corrupt judge is her only hope. Although he’s disinclined to listen to her, she wears him down until he finally delivers a just decision just to get rid of her. But Jesus doesn’t leave his disciples (or us) scratching our heads. He explains:

“Will not God secure the rights of his chosen ones who call out to him day and night? Will he be slow to answer them? I tell you, he will see to it that justice is done for them speedily. But when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?”

So there it is. Do we have faith? Do we pray? If so, do we believe God will answer us and work on our behalf? Does God love us enough to actually take care of us? The Israelites were trapped, with the Egyptian army behind them and the Red Sea in front of them. God showed his love and care and delivered them. He’ll do the same for you and for me–call on him, and don’t grow weary. Marvelous things are in store.

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Pamela joined Diocesan’s staff in 2006, after a number of years in the non-profit sector. Her experience is in non-profit administration including management, finance, and program development, along with database management and communications. She was a catechist in her parish RCIA program for over 15 years, as well as chairperson of their Liturgy Commision. Received into the Catholic Church as an adult, Pamela’s faith formation was influenced by her Mennonite extended family, her Baptist childhood, and her years as a Reformed Presbyterian (think Scott Hahn).

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How Beautiful Is The Originator Of It All!

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As I write this post, my mind and heart are looking forward to Advent, which starts in just 15 days. I always try to add devotion to this time of preparation for Christ’s birth and make sure that I have all my gifts purchased and wrapped by then, so as to focus on the spiritual, not the material aspects of Christmas. And the calendar is telling me I’m running out of time. Thankfully we have decided to simplify Christmas this year, which takes a lot of pressure off this momma in so many ways. I’m not sure my kids are quite on board though. They’ve been making their wish lists since June.

If you look closely, today’s First Reading talks precisely about this, focusing more on gifts than the giver of gifts. It says that because of the beauty of fire, wind, stars, and water, people began to consider them gods instead of their Creator. It could just as easily say that due to the allure of new cars, social media, and phones, we consider them gods. For “though they seek God and wish to find him…they search busily among his works but are distracted by what they see, because the things seen are fair.” (Wis 13:6-7)

All the things God created are indeed beautiful, but what a great reminder to let them lead us back to Him!

Now, if out of joy in their beauty they thought them gods, let them know how far more excellent is the Lord than these; for the original source of beauty fashioned them. Or if they were struck by their might and energy, let them from these things realize how much more powerful is he who made them. (Wisdom 13 – emphasis added)

How beautiful and excellent and powerful is our Lord God! If you think a sunrise or a snow-capped mountain is beautiful, a brand new iPhone or Amazon Prime is excellent, and a 650 supercharged Corvette or a multimillionaire politician is powerful, just imagine how beautiful and excellent and powerful is the One who made them all!!

It is so easy and so tempting to stop and stay at what catches my eye or my mind’s eye at any given moment. I am scared to be quiet and still because maybe the unknown will be too profound for me to handle. I have a sense that God wants to pour Himself into me, not only give me gifts, but BE the gift, yet I run to the next distraction, whether it be Christian suspense novels or Facebook or email or superficial chats or gossip.

So as Advent approaches, I resolve to spend time focusing not so much on the gifts, but on the giver, author, originator, source, and artisan of them all – my beautiful, excellent, and powerful God.

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Tami grew up in Western Michigan, a middle child in a large Catholic family. She spent early young adulthood as a missionary in Mexico, studying theology and philosophy, then worked and traveled extensively before finishing her Bachelor’s Degree in Western Kentucky. She loves tackling home improvement projects, finding fun ways to keep her four boys occupied, quiet conversation with the hubby and finding unique ways to love. She works at Diocesan, is a guest blogger on CatholicMom.com and BlessedIsShe.net, runs her own blog at https://togetherandalways.wordpress.com and has been doing Spanish translations on the side for almost 20 years.

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An Unseen Kingdom?

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Every time we pray the Our Father, we make the petition, “Thy Kingdom come.” In just a few weeks, we will celebrate the Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe. We know that Jesus is King, but when will His Kingdom finally be established?

In today’s Gospel, this is the question the Pharisees asked. The Jews were living in expectation that, after generations under the yoke of powers that opposed them and their beliefs, the Messiah would come and free them – politically. They awaited the freedom to worship without fear, and to live in the joyous prosperity of the Kingdom promised them. And if Jesus was some kind of wise rabbi stirring trouble, he surely should have some kind of timeline.

Jesus says something that must have surprised most of those present: “The coming of the Kingdom of God cannot be observed, and no one will announce, ‘Look, here it is….’. Behold, the Kingdom of God is among you.” Wait… It can’t be seen or announced? It’s already here? What?
Everyone on earth knows that conquerors are obvious, and that their conquering is observable, and that the establishment of a Kingdom is announced with great fanfare. What kind of Kingdom is Jesus talking about if it is not visible or proclaimed? What kind of Kingdom is already present but invisible?

The Kingdom, as we know, is Jesus Himself, present among His people. One of the ways He made this clear was to be crowned (with thorns), clothed in royal garments and handed a reed for a scepter, and finally to take His place on the throne (of the Cross). Rather than taking everything to Himself with violence and power, Jesus submitted Himself completely to the false powers of this world, submitted Himself to their violence, pouring Himself out utterly for love of each of us. Unlike worldly kings, this King conquers one heart at a time, not by subduing it with violence, but by submitting Himself to it in love.

And He remains present with us in our prayer and our love and, in a sacramental way, in the Eucharist. In Eucharistic Communion, the King of the Universe draws all of us together, and all of us to Himself, in the love of His own heart. The King of Love offers Himself completely to us in love, offers all that has been given to Him by the Father to us, in exchange for our offering ourselves to Him in love.

So the Kingdom is already among us wherever Christ is present, whenever we acknowledge Christ as King and ask Him to reign in our hearts, our homes, and our lives. It cannot be seen because it has no borders. It cannot be announced because it will not be completely established until the end of time. It began with the presence of Christ on this earth in Bethlehem, and it continues with the presence of Christ on this earth in our hearts and our tabernacles.

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Kathryn Mulderink, MA, is married to Robert, Station Manager for Holy Family Radio. Together they have seven children (including newly ordained Father Rob and seminarian Luke ;-), and two grandchildren. She is a Secular Discalced Carmelite and has published five books and many articles. Over the last 25 years, she has worked as a teacher, headmistress, catechist, Pastoral Associate, and DRE. Currently, she serves the Church as a writer and voice talent for Catholic Radio, by publishing and speaking, and by collaborating with the diocesan Office of Catechesis, various parishes, and other ministries to lead others to encounter Christ and engage their faith. Her website is https://www.kathryntherese.com/.

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In All Circumstances, Give Thanks

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In today’s Gospel, Luke recounts the story of the healing of the lepers. At this time, lepers were one of the most marginalized and isolated groups. In order to avoid spreading leprosy, which is highly contagious, they were not even allowed to live with their families. Those who had leprosy were without hope because there was (and still is) no cure for the disease. Lepers were considered unclean and, therefore, sought purity. When they encounter Christ, they recognize Him as someone who can heal them and grant them purity. When Christ heals the 10 lepers, and he does. He then tells them to show themselves to the priests so that they may be welcomed back into the community. However, only 1 man of the 10 comes back to offer praise and thanksgiving to Christ. And Christ’s response is, “Stand up and go; your faith has saved you.”

How often do we ask something of God in prayer and receive it (or receive something better) but forget to give thanks? How often do we forget to give thanks for our everyday blessings (a job, family, food, a roof over our heads, a car to get us to work, etc)? The Gospel acclamation today is “In all circumstances, give thanks, for this is the will of God for you in Jesus Christ.” That seems difficult, right? What if our circumstances are less than ideal? What if we have a lot on our plates or are going through a tough time? It seems impossible to give thanks when those are the circumstances, but we ought to look at those circumstances as an opportunity to unite our suffering to that of Christ on the Cross and give thanks for his Passion and Resurrection. The best way we can continuously offer thanksgiving to God is to stay close to His sacraments, especially the Eucharist. Eucharist means thanksgiving and, by taking part in the Sacrament, we are taking part in the suffering, death, and Resurrection of Jesus Christ. We are recognizing that he laid down his life for us in order that we may be saved. He became man so he could say to each one of us, “Stand up and go; your faith has saved you.”

In this season of thanksgiving, may we not take for granted all our blessings. May we praise God for all His works and remember that our faith with save us.

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Dakota currently lives in Denver, CO and teaches English Language Development and Spanish to high schoolers. She is married to the love of her life, Ralph. In her spare time, she reads, goes to breweries, and watches baseball. Dakota’s favorite saints are St. John Paul II (how could it not be?) and St. José Luis Sánchez del Río. She is passionate about her faith and considers herself blessed at any opportunity to share that faith with others. Check out more of her writing at https://dakotaleonard16.blogspot.com.

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Tis The Season

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Oh my goodness! We are quickly rounding into the middle of November. All Hallow’s Eve passed in a flash, and immediately the Black Friday Christmas sales started. We are hearing all about how it is a “short” Christmas season. In a culture driven by getting what you want, it seems an entire season has been bypassed in sacrifice to the Christmas shopping list.

Recently I was listening to a friend as she shared how someone was struggling with not being able to forgive themselves for choices they made many, many years ago. As I listened to her, a part of my brain was so grateful to be Catholic. I am so grateful for the confessional and the sacrament of reconciliation and the mercy waiting for me there. I worked hard on just listening and responding with compassion, but I will fully admit, my heart wanted to scream out, “This is why I long and pray for you to find your way to the Catholic Church! Come with me, I will walk home with you.” (She isn’t ready to hear that, but I am confident that day will come!)

It isn’t that Catholics are without fault and that we don’t struggle with the mistakes of our past. Goodness knows we do! But God in his infinite wisdom, though Our Mother, the Church, has given us a structure, a framework to help us step outside our circumstances and become who he calls us to be, who he created us to be, to find forgiveness, and mercy, and grace.

I feel the same intense relief at being Catholic as I witness the current media hype over the shorter Christmas shopping season. Inside Mother Church, we are being reminded of how many reasons we have to be grateful. Our Lord, Jesus Christ is King of the Universe! We recall that when God formed man, in “the image of his own nature he made them.” We live not for this world but for the next. Tis the season now to reflect on the world to come so that we are ready when Advent starts to prepare ourselves for the coming of the babe who will be crowned king. The truth is, there is no shortening of the time before Christmas. Through the Liturgical Calendar, Mother Church preserves the rhythm of the seasons and maintains to each season its own celebrations. So even though to the eyes of the world, we seem foolish and may even appear dead to the latest fad, we are in peace, the peace found in our Mother’s arms at the foot of the Father.

So enjoy this season, continue to pray for those in purgatory, and be at peace knowing that our Mother will make sure that each season happens at exactly the right time.

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Sheryl delights in being the number 1 cheerleader and supporter for her husband, Tom who is a candidate for the Permanent Diaconate in the Diocese of Kalamazoo. They are so grateful for the opportunity to grow together in this process whether it is studying for classes, deepening their prayer life or discovering new ways to serve together. Sheryl’s day job is serving her community as the principal for St. Therese Catholic School in Wayland, Michigan. Since every time she thinks she gets life all figured out, she realizes just how far she has to go, St. Rita of Cascia is her go-to Saint for intercession and help. Home includes Brea, a Bernese Mountain dog and Carlyn, a very, very goofy Golden Retriever.

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Worthy of Mercy

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Today’s readings have a little bit of a heavier hand, with a lot of focus on sin and temptation and the ramifications. Hearing the line, “It would be better for him if a millstone were put around his neck and he be thrown into the sea than for him to cause one of these little ones to sin,” always makes me stop and take pause, especially now working in youth ministry. I’m always questioning myself, “Am I leading these kids astray?”

Listen, nobody likes talking about sin. It is difficult for us, as humans, to admit our failings and our shortcomings on a very basic level. It is even more difficult when they are put in the spiritual context, in the presence of our Heavenly Father, a Father that is so good and so loving, so kind and so merciful, none of which we actually deserve in our sinful state. 

But there’s another kind of hurt, another kind of pain, when we lead another into sin as well. Usually, it’s the result of our own sin and, sometimes, we can be so caught up in it that we fail to see the harm that we’ve caused. But, when we are aware of our own actions, the guilt that accompanies can be overwhelming. 

Instead of pain, what’s offered to us is mercy. I feel like a heart emoji should follow that word. Or maybe a crying face emoji. 

God’s heart is so full of love for us, a depth that we could never imagine. Although original sin separated mankind from a life lived with God, He sent His only Son to reconcile us, His sons and daughters, to Himself, because He didn’t want to live without us. 

Sin threatens our relationship with God, tries to separate us from Him. However, we have the opportunity to right our relationship with Him through the beautiful Sacrament of Reconciliation. 

And, yes, if we struggle to admit our faults to our families, friends, and even strangers on the street, it is ten times more difficult to confess our sins to a priest who is acting in persona Christi. It is tough to tell our perfect Father all the ways we have failed to be perfect and whole. But, my brothers and sisters, it is so, so worth it. 

When you give your sins over to the Lord, and He pours out His mercy upon you, it is the most incredible, freeing feeling. People often describe walking out of the confessional as walking on a cloud, uplifting, glowing, and many other comforting terms. 

That’s what Jesus wants to do – to give us comfort and peace. I pray that we can answer that call, to walk boldly into the confessional, leave our sins behind and accept His mercy and forgiveness.

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Erin is a Cleveland native and graduate of Franciscan University of Steubenville. Following graduation, she began volunteering in youth ministry at her home parish of Holy Family Church. Her first “big girl” job was in collegiate sports information where, after a busy two years in the profession on top of serving the youth, she took a leap of faith and followed the Lord’s call to full-time youth ministry at St. Peter Church. She still hopes to use her communication arts degree as a freelance writer and statistician, though. You can catch her on the Clarence & Peter Podcast on YouTube as well as follow her on Twitter @erinmadden2016.

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Eyes Set On Heaven

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In today’s Gospel, Jesus informs us that those who are married here on earth will no longer be given in marriage in Heaven. He shares this information with the Sadducees as they asked Jesus whose wife a woman with seven husbands would be in the resurrection. Here, in Jesus’ answer, we find our universal vocation. The vocation of communion with God in eternal life.

This story is beautiful as it reminds us of the ultimate goal of marriage, to get your spouse to Heaven! That is the whole purpose of the sacrament of matrimony and should be the foundation of marital love. This story also makes clear the beauty and superior vocation of Holy Orders/ Religious Life, men and women who have chosen to live out this reality here on earth — giving themselves body and soul to God, in full service of the Church. Jesus goes on to tell the Sadducees that God is “not God of the dead, but of the living, for to him all are alive.”

St. Paul offers much comfort and encouragement in his letter to the Thessalonians in the Second Reading today. He reminds us of the Lord’s love and grace that will “encourage your hearts and strengthen them in every good deed and word.” How fitting for him to encourage us in this way. Each person’s vocation, Holy Orders, Religious Life, Matrimony, or Single, are reminded that our deeds and words must be for God. He goes on to say that not all are faithful, but the Lord is. He encourages prayer so that the Lord may “strengthen you and guard you against the evil one. May the Lord direct your hearts to the love of God and to the endurance of Christ.” Whatever your vocation is this day and whatever it may be in the future, may we all set our hearts on the universal call of holiness. May we receive the graces of strength and endurance as we fight for holiness with our eyes set on Heaven.

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Briana is the Pastoral Minister at St. Mark Church in Cleveland, OH. She is also a district manager at Arbonne. She received her Bachelor of Arts in Theology and Catechetics from the Franciscan University of Steubenville, OH and is excited to use these skills to serve the Church. “My soul has been refined and I can raise my head like a flower after a storm.” -St. Therese

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And I Saw Water Flowing Out

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If you have ever entertained the thought that you can hide your deeds from the Lord, as you do from your fellow men, you are sorely mistaken! 

How easy it must have been for the merchants in the temple area to fall into the practice of making money off of sincere worshipers coming to the temple. After all, the people needed these things to make their worship acceptable to God, did they not? Why not be the ones to provide the means to fulfill the mandates of sacrificial law. And, so what if they make a profit from it? Why indeed! Why shouldn’t you, then, be the one to profit from providing what people want, or think they need. Someone will anyway, so why not you! 

The “money changers” in the temple felt justified to profit from what people needed to have to fulfill their temple worship obligations. Do you, at times, do the same? Let’s change the picture of the “money changers” to those in our modern-day, who profit from the needs of others: physical, emotional, spiritual. 

Look to your heart to see if in some small (or perhaps significant) way you profit from another person’s gift, talents, or needs; another’s friendship or love; another’s fear or loneliness; another’s willingness to give of himself. Or look to the pride you might have because someone looks up to you, and you relish being of influence. Is it for the good of their soul, and yours, or because you crave power? Once you start down that slippery slope of false reasoning, the gray that governs your actions becomes a blind spot. You sometimes can no longer see that what you do is harmful. You can find so many justifications! Such was the case of the “money changers” in today’s Gospel. To them, it was justified. They couldn’t see how far hey had sunk into the sin of corruption. 

Ask yourself if the alluring power of sin has clouded your judgment so that you can no longer tell where you stepped off the path of righteousness. We can probably reason that the money changers started in good faith, but then it got out of hand, turning a “service” to the people into corruption, and sacrilegious use of sacred ground. Don’t let this happen to you. 

Ezekiel gives us today, also, one of my favorite “pictures” into the heart of God. Grace in the form of water spilling from all sides of the temple, making the seawater fresh and the ground fertile. Life will be abundant; fruit trees will grow bearing fruit; their leaves shall not fade or their fruit fall. The fruit shall serve as food and their leaves as medicine. 

You should be that temple! If you aren’t yet, then stand in the water flowing from the side of Christ to bless and nourish you. Let Christ gently turn the money changer in you out of your heart and return that space to hallowed ground –sacred space for him to dwell in communion with you. And he doesn’t have to wait outside the door until you have perfectly dusted the spaces. He’ll come in now and help you with the chore. 

God Bless.

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Jeanne Penoyar, an Accounts Manager at Diocesan, is a Lector at St. Anthony of Padua parish in Grand Rapids, MI. Jeanne has worked in parish ministry as an RCIA director, in Liturgy, and as a Cantor. Working word puzzles and reading fill her spare time. Jeanne can be reached at jpenoyar@diocesan.com.

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Gifts From God

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Initially, this blog post was about a totally different topic, but as I was searching for my blog post image, I began to think more and more about what I had already written. The image I came across, the image you now see at the top of this post, really spoke to me. With the first reading in mind, it made me think of the gifts that I have received from God and how I have responded to them. Moreover, why don’t I have the same look of excitement, joy, and amazement when looking at my gifts from God? Have I ever looked at my gifts that way?

Unfortunately, my answer is no. 

I hate to admit it, but I have always seen my gifts as something to be shrugged off or a burden. 

My laziness and ungratefulness in using the gifts God has given me remind me of what my coworker once said. “When you work for a painting company and are good at painting, it just means that everyone asks you to help them paint every room in the house.” So, at some point, you stop talking about the fact that you worked for a painting company. You don’t mention that you’re good at painting and have helped others with it. You tell yourself that if someone asks, you guess you can help, but only if they ask first. 

In today’s first reading, Paul, the Apostle, shares his gifts with the Gentiles, spreading the Word of God further than his comfort zone. It’s easy to share our gifts when we want to, on our terms. It requires a lot more faith and trust in the Lord to do things on His terms, to go where He wants us to go. 

Still, the more I look back on my life, the more I am overwhelmed by all of the goodness that God has placed in my life. All of the times I used my gifts for the good of God’s people, not because it’s easy or comfortable for me, I have been rewarded tenfold. The struggles work out. The fear is replaced by peace. Somehow (aka through God’s plan), it all works out. 

I often think back to the powerful words of Pope Francis that I was so fortunate to witness:

“My friends, Jesus is the Lord of risk, of the eternal ‘more.’ Jesus is not the Lord of comfort, security, and ease. Following Jesus demands a good dose of courage, a readiness to trade in the sofa for a pair of walking shoes, and to set out on new and uncharted paths. To blaze trails that open up new horizons capable of spreading joy, the joy that is born of God’s love and wells up in your hearts with every act of mercy. To take the path of the ‘craziness’ of our God, who teaches us to encounter him in the hungry, the thirsty, the naked, the sick, the friend in trouble, the prisoner, the refugee and the migrant, and our neighbours who feel abandoned. To take the path of our God, who encourages us to be politicians, thinkers, social activists. The God who asks us to devise an economy inspired by solidarity. In all the settings in which you find yourselves, God’s love invites you bring the Good News, making of your own lives a gift to him and to others.” (2016 World Youth Day Prayer Vigil).

Today, I embrace my gifts, as uncomfortable as I may be at first. I want to use my gifts in a way that gives glory to God. I want Jesus, the Lord of risk, to smile down on me as I take each new leap of faith. I want to be confident in the gifts that He has given me and allow myself to be taken out of my comfort zone. The gifts that I have been given are meant to be shared. I want my life to be a gift, spreading excitement, joy, and amazement of God. 

Don’t know what your gifts are? Unsure of what ministry you would flourish in? Take the test!

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Veronica Alvarado is a born and raised Texan currently living in Michigan. Since graduating from Texas A&M University, Veronica has published various articles in the Catholic Diocese of Austin’s official newspaper, the Catholic Spirit, and other local publications. She now works as the Content Specialist in Diocesan’s Web Department.