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All the Faithful Departed / Todos los Fieles Difuntos

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Eleven years ago on this date, our first child, a son named Alexander Lloyd, was brought into our world stillborn. The heartbreak and confusion of why our beloved child would not grow with us together in my husband’s and my lifetime still resonates day in and day out a lifetime later. 

Despite having many subsequent children alive and vibrant around us, I take the loss of our beloved boy as a sign of God’s covenant. If I can come out victorious in this spiritual battle over pain and suffering, my reward will be so immensely infinite when on that sweet day I can finally be with the son who was not meant for this life but has an even greater purpose with the Lord. 

It is not a unique story that, living on this Earth, each of us will lose a loved one at some point. We often like to avoid the memories that bring us sadness. However, through the most difficult of times arises the most gratifying results: that Jesus Christ promised to resurrect those who belong to Him. His love surpasses death for all people of all time.

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Hace once años, en esta fecha, nuestro primer hijo, Alexander Lloyd, nació muerto. La angustia y la confusión de por qué nuestro amado hijo no crecería con nosotros en la vida de mi esposo y la mía aún resuenan día tras día, toda una vida después.

A pesar de tener varios hijos después, vivos y vibrantes a nuestro alrededor, tomo la pérdida de nuestro amado hijo como una señal de la alianza de Dios. Si logro salir victoriosa de esta batalla espiritual contra el dolor y el sufrimiento, mi recompensa será inmensamente infinita cuando en ese dulce día finalmente pueda estar con el hijo que no estaba destinado a esta vida, pero que tiene un propósito aún mayor con el Señor.

No es una historia única que, viviendo en esta Tierra, cada uno de nosotros pierda a un ser querido en algún momento. A menudo preferimos evitar los recuerdos que nos traen tristeza. Sin embargo, de los momentos más difíciles surgen los resultados más gratificantes: que Jesucristo prometió resucitar a quienes le pertenecen. Su amor supera la muerte para todas las personas de todos los tiempos.

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Dr. Alexis Dallara-Marsh is a board-certified neurologist who practices in Bergen County, NJ. She is a wife to her best friend, Akeem, and a mother of four little ones on Earth and two others in heaven above.

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The views and opinions expressed in the Inspiration Daily blog are solely those of the original authors and contributors. These views and opinions do not necessarily represent those of Diocesan, the Diocesan staff, or other contributors to this blog.

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How Can We Be Saintly? / ¿Cómo podemos ser santos?

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Saints have done some amazing things, and their stories have laid the groundwork for what we as Christians should strive to be. We don’t even know who most of the saints are, considering there are over 10,000 of them. Even if you chose to study one of them each day, it would take over 27 years to make it through all of them, with more saints being canonized each year. Pope Francis alone canonized 942 of them during his papacy (2013-2025). 

How can we remember them all? How are we supposed to study them all to become more saintly? That’s what All Saints Day is for. While we may not know the whole list of saints, we can study them and pray to all of them on All Saints Day in recognition of their lives and what they did to serve God and the Church. On this day we also recognize those who are Blessed, those who are on the way to become a saint.

But how do we become more “saintly”, like St. Peter who opted to be crucified upside down because he didn’t feel worthy to be martyred in the same way that Jesus was? Or St. Francis of Assisi who threw himself into a rose bush from a third story window because he had sinned (although God comically took all the thorns away so he wouldn’t hurt himself; St. Francis was not happy about that)? How are we supposed to imitate them? 

Well, not all of the saints went to extremes to live out their faith. From St. Carlo Acutis (who was canonized just a couple months ago) who documented Eucharistic miracles on a website, modeling how to evangelize in modern society, to St. Augustine, who after finding God spent his life writing his Confessions, which helped form western civilization’s philosophy and are still being studied today. 

There are ways we can better ourselves, whether it is practicing more humility, finding the love of God even on the bad days, finding joy in others, or even just improving routine intentional prayer. There are always ways we can be more saintly.

My wife’s family has a beautiful tradition where each person in the family selects a patron saint. They pick a slip of paper with a saint’s name on it from a bowl, then study and ask for the intercession from that saint for the whole year. This allows them to actively educate themselves on saints that they otherwise wouldn’t know about. Learning the stories of the saints is a great way to grow not only as a person, but also in our Catholic faith.

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Los santos han hecho cosas asombrosas, y sus historias han sentado las bases de lo que nosotros, como cristianos, debemos aspirar a ser. Ni siquiera sabemos quiénes son la mayoría de los santos, considerando que hay más de 10,000. Incluso si decidiéramos estudiar a uno cada día, nos tomaría más de 27 años recorrerlos a todos, y cada año se canonizan más. Tan solo el Papa Francisco canonizó a 942 santos durante su papado (2013-2025).

¿Cómo podemos recordarlos a todos? ¿Cómo se supone que debemos estudiarlos para ser más santos? Para eso está el Día de Todos los Santos. Aunque no conozcamos la lista completa de santos, podemos estudiarlos y rezarles a todos en el Día de Todos los Santos en reconocimiento a sus vidas y a lo que hicieron para servir a Dios y a la Iglesia. En este día también reconocemos a los Beatos, a aquellos que están en camino a la santidad.

Pero ¿cómo podemos llegar a ser más santos, como San Pedro, quien optó por ser crucificado cabeza abajo porque no se sentía digno de ser martirizado como Jesús? ¿O San Francisco de Asís, quien se arrojó a un rosal desde una ventana del tercer piso por haber pecado (aunque, cómicamente, Dios le quitó todas las espinas para que no se hiciera daño; a San Francisco no se le hizo gracioso)? ¿Cómo se supone que debemos imitarlos?

Bueno, no todos los santos llegaron a los extremos para vivir su fe. Desde San Carlo Acutis (canonizado hace apenas un par de meses), quien documentó milagros eucarísticos en un sitio web, modelando cómo evangelizar en la sociedad moderna, hasta San Agustín, quien, tras encontrar a Dios, dedicó su vida a escribir sus Confesiones, que contribuyeron a formar la filosofía de la civilización occidental y que aún se estudian hoy en día. 

Hay formas de superarnos, ya sea practicando más humildad, encontrando el amor de Dios incluso en los días malos, encontrando alegría en los demás o incluso simplemente mejorando nuestra oración intencional. Siempre hay maneras de ser más santos.

La familia de mi esposa tiene una hermosa tradición: cada miembro de la familia elige un santo patrón. Sacan un papelito con el nombre de un santo de un cuenco, lo estudian y piden su intercesión durante todo el año. Esto les permite aprender activamente sobre santos que de otra manera desconocerían. Aprender las historias de los santos es una forma excelente de crecer no solo como personas, sino también en nuestra fe católica.

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Ben Hooper is originally from Maryland, having been adopted from Korea and growing up in the Catholic faith. He went to Franciscan University to dive deeper into his faith and eventually graduated with a degree in Business Management. He loves musical theater, sports, spending time with his wife Lily and their dog Kolbe.

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The views and opinions expressed in the Inspiration Daily blog are solely those of the original authors and contributors. These views and opinions do not necessarily represent those of Diocesan, the Diocesan staff, or other contributors to this blog.

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The Law of Love / La ley del amor

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At first glance this Gospel seems to suggest relativism. The law says all that can and cannot be done on the Sabbath and it is held dear to the Jews. Then there is Jesus’ question, “Who among you, if your son or ox falls into a cistern, would not immediately pull him out on the sabbath day?” (Luke 14: 5).  It almost suggests that the law is law until there is an exception and we know that once exceptions start, the law starts ending. 

We see it often now. For example, the Catholic Church opposes contraception, but some would say birth control is ok if such and such were the case. The exceptions begin to supersede the teaching. 

I didn’t think this is what Jesus was saying but I was still confused so I asked my parish priest. Happily, he came over for dinner about the time I was writing this.  He suggested looking at what the law is directing us to – God himself.  Our end goal in everything is eternal unity with God. In healing the man with dropsy, Jesus is beginning that union. He, God made Man, initiated the healing, and doesn’t He have the authority to create what we as mere humans would see as an exception to the law? In His infinite and ineffable wisdom, He knew that in order to help this particular man, healing had to happen at that time on that day. 

We all need healing, whether it’s from deep wounds that still scar us, or the battle wounds from living in a broken world as a broken human. Wouldn’t we rather have a Savior who lovingly gives us what we need when we need it rather than one who says, “Come back Monday when the office is open”? 

So instead of focusing on the law itself or the exceptions to it, let’s focus on God’s unfathomable love and His perfect timing. 

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A primera vista, este Evangelio parece sugerir relativismo. La ley dice todo lo que se puede y no se puede hacer en sábado, y es muy apreciada por los judíos. Luego está la pregunta de Jesús: “Si a alguno de ustedes se le cae en un pozo su burro o su buey, ¿no lo saca enseguida, aunque sea sábado?” (Lucas 14:5). Casi sugiere que la ley es ley hasta que haya una excepción, y sabemos que una vez que comienzan las excepciones, la ley comienza a terminar.

Lo vemos a menudo ahora. Por ejemplo, la Iglesia Católica se opone a la anticoncepción, pero algunos dirían que el control de la natalidad está bien si tal o cual es el caso. Las excepciones comienzan a invalidar la enseñanza.

No pensé que esto fuera lo que Jesús estaba diciendo, pero seguía confundida, así que le pregunté a mi párroco. Afortunadamente, vino a cenar cerca del tiempo que estaba escribiendo esta reflexión. Sugirió que consideráramos a qué nos dirige la ley: a Dios mismo. Nuestro objetivo final en todo es la unidad eterna con Dios. Al sanar al hidrópico, Jesús inicia esa unión. Él, Dios hecho hombre, inició la sanación, ¿y acaso no tiene la autoridad de crear lo que nosotros, como simples seres humanos, consideraríamos una excepción a la ley? En su infinita e inefable sabiduría, sabía que para ayudar a este hombre en particular, la sanación debía ocurrir en ese momento, en ese día.

Todos necesitamos la sanación, ya sea de heridas profundas que aún nos marcan, o de las heridas de guerra de vivir en un mundo quebrado como seres humanos quebrados. ¿No preferiríamos tener un Salvador que nos dé con amor lo que necesitamos cuando lo necesitamos, en lugar de uno que nos diga: “Vuelve el lunes cuando la oficina esté abierta”?

Así que, en lugar de centrarnos en la ley en sí o en sus excepciones, centrémonos en el amor insondable de Dios y que obra en el momento perfecto.

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Merridith Frediani loves words and is delighted by good sentences. She also loves Lake Michigan, dahlias, the first sip of hot coffee in the morning, millennials, and playing Sheepshead with her husband and three kids. She writes for Catholic Mom, Diocesan.com, and her local Catholic Herald. Her first book Draw Close to Jesus: A Woman’s Guide to Adoration is available at Our Sunday Visitor and Amazon. You can learn more at merridithfrediani.com.

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The views and opinions expressed in the Inspiration Daily blog are solely those of the original authors and contributors. These views and opinions do not necessarily represent those of Diocesan, the Diocesan staff, or other contributors to this blog.

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A Laser-Focused Schedule / Un horario bien enfocada

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I just love Jesus’ attitude in this Gospel passage. He’s a man on a mission and can’t be bothered by what other people are saying. Of course, this is true throughout the Gospels, but there’s something about the matter-of-fact way Jesus lays out his weekly schedule that gets me.

In a world full of distractions, some good, some not so much, it is easy to get overwhelmed with everything we “need” to get done: work, family, sports practice, volunteering, watching the big game, gardening, learning a new language or hobby, laundry, and ample time scrolling social media. It’s no wonder we are overwhelmed and over scheduled. While social media and the internet weren’t around in Jesus’ time, gossip and societal pressure were just as alive and pervasive. 

Jesus clearly had a reputation if Herod’s plans were so plainly known. Herod felt threatened by Jesus because Jesus was doing all the things the Messiah was prophesied to do – heal the sick, cure the lame, make the blind see. Jesus was traveling, casting out demons and preaching to large crowds. He was busy.

And yet, Jesus also appears laser-focused on what he is doing in the present moment. He tells the Pharisees who are warning him about Herod’s intentions that it doesn’t matter what Herod plans. Today and tomorrow (meaning the present and the near future), Jesus will be focused on casting out demons and healing people. He isn’t looking to the left or to the right, considering how His actions are impressing or threatening others. He isn’t pausing to bask in the honor many are giving him. He has no plans to shy away from threats, concerns, or questions from societal authorities. He knows what he is about and the work that is necessary to accomplish.

Do we know what we are about? When I look at my schedule, does it identify me as a follower of Christ? Am I laser-focused on the things of Heaven, on the mission God has for my life? Or, am I floundering through the whims and demands of a more short-sighted schedule?

It is interesting. In being intensely focused on the present moment, Jesus is able to have a heavenly perspective. He knows where the mission has called Him, He says as much when He explains that on the third day He will accomplish His purpose. But this doesn’t distract Him from the necessary work of the day He is living in. 

We can live our lives in a similar manner. We can make plans and schedules but it is critical to remember that they serve us and our God-given mission, not the other way around. Everything Jesus did drew him closer to the day His mission was fulfilled on the cross. Everything we choose to do, or not do, should be considered in the same manner. As we plan our week we  can ask ourselves, how is this going to bring me closer to God and closer to heaven?

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Me encanta la actitud de Jesús en este pasaje del Evangelio. Es un hombre con una misión y no le importa lo que digan los demás. Claro, esto es cierto en todos los Evangelios, pero hay algo en la forma práctica en que Jesús organiza su agenda semanal que me conmueve.

En un mundo lleno de distracciones, algunas buenas, otras no tanto, es fácil sentirse abrumado con todo lo que “tenemos que” hacer: trabajo, familia, entrenamiento deportivo, voluntariado, ver el gran partido, jardinería, aprender un nuevo idioma o pasatiempo, lavar la ropa y pasar bastante tiempo navegando en las redes sociales. No es de extrañar que estemos abrumados y sobrecargados. Si bien las redes sociales e internet no existían en la época de Jesús, los chismes y la presión social eran igual de fuertes y omnipresentes.

Si los planes de Herodes se conocieran tan claramente, Jesús tenía una reputación. Herodes se sintió amenazado por Jesús porque estaba haciendo todo lo que se profetizó que haría el Mesías: sanar a los enfermos, curar a los cojos, dar vista a los ciegos. Jesús viajaba, expulsaba demonios y predicaba a grandes multitudes. Estaba ocupado.

Y, sin embargo, Jesús también parecía estar completamente concentrado en lo que hacía en el momento presente. Les dijo a los fariseos que le advertían sobre las intenciones de Herodes que no importaba lo que Herodes tenía planeado. Hoy y mañana (es decir, el presente y el futuro cercano), Jesús se centraría en expulsar demonios y sanar a la gente. No miraba a la izquierda ni a la derecha, considerando cómo sus acciones impresionaban o amenazaban a otros. No se detenía a disfrutar del honor que muchos le concedían. No planeaba eludir las amenazas, preocupaciones o preguntas de las autoridades sociales. Sabía lo que hacía y el trabajo que debía realizar.

¿Sabemos lo que hacemos? Cuando miro mi agenda, ¿me identifica como seguidor de Cristo? ¿Estoy completamente concentrado en las cosas del Cielo, en la misión que Dios tiene para mi vida? ¿O me dejo llevar por los caprichos y las exigencias de una agenda más limitada?

Es interesante. Al estar intensamente enfocado en el momento presente, Jesús puede tener una perspectiva celestial. Sabe adónde lo ha llamado la misión; lo dice al explicar que al tercer día cumplirá su propósito. Pero esto no lo distrae de la obra esencial del día en que vive.

Podemos vivir nuestras vidas de manera semejante. Podemos hacer planes y horarios, pero es fundamental recordar que estos nos sirven a nosotros y a la misión que Dios nos ha encomendado, no al revés. Todo lo que Jesús hizo lo acercó al día en que su misión se cumplió en la cruz. Todo lo que elegimos hacer o no hacer, debemos considerar de la misma manera. Al planificar la semana, podemos preguntarnos: ¿cómo esto me va a acercar a Dios y al cielo?

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Kate Taliaferro is an Air Force wife and mother. She is blessed to be able to homeschool, bake bread and fold endless piles of laundry. When not planning a school day, writing a blog post or cooking pasta, Kate can be found curled up with a book or working with some kind of fiber craft. Kate blogs at DailyGraces.net.

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The views and opinions expressed in the Inspiration Daily blog are solely those of the original authors and contributors. These views and opinions do not necessarily represent those of Diocesan, the Diocesan staff, or other contributors to this blog.

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The Last Will Be First / Los últimos serán los primeros

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“Lord, will only a few people be saved?”

The question suggests a concern about how difficult it is to be saved. Is it so difficult that only a few people will achieve it, or is it easy enough even for me? How hard do I have to work for this?

Jesus has the opportunity to say what we want to hear: “No worries. Just be nice and share, smile and say a prayer. I’m doing all the hard work for you. You just have to accept me as your Lord and Savior and you’ll be fine.”

But that’s not how He answers.

He tells us that we must enter through a “narrow gate,” that many are not strong enough, that even saying that we know Him will not ensure that He will let us in at that critical moment. Some will be called “evildoers” and told to depart! Jesus does not sugar-coat that terrible moment when “there will be wailing and grinding of teeth” by those who have been “cast out.”

Jesus does not ever proclaim a comfortable, easy, self-satisfying journey along a smooth road. He tells us (and shows us by his own life and death) that it will be difficult, that we will have to stand against “the world,” that we must take up our cross, strive with all our strength to travel the narrow path, and follow Him along the trail he has blazed for us. Those whose love is only superficial and external will not be allowed to enter, not because God has slammed the door, but because they chose not to go through it by refusing His friendship and love.

Jesus also reminds us that those who seem great – or even holy – to our human judgment may not truly be so. And some who are humble and forgotten are the very ones who will be reclining at table in the Kingdom of God. In God’s perfect judgment, all injustice will be corrected: “some are last who will be first, and some are first who will be last.” So we must learn to appreciate the expression of God’s justice in Mary’s Magnificat: “He has mercy on those who fear him in every generation… He has scattered the proud in their conceit. He has cast down the mighty from their thrones, and has lifted up the lowly. He has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich He has sent away empty.”

Lord, help me be content to be among the last in this world – the few, the small – so that I can be among the first in Your Kingdom of Love!

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“Señor, ¿es verdad que son pocos los que se salvan?”

La pregunta sugiere una preocupación por lo difícil que es ser salvado. ¿Es tan difícil que solo unos pocos lo lograrán, o es lo suficientemente fácil incluso para mí? ¿Cuánto tengo que esforzarme para lograrlo?

Jesús tiene la oportunidad de decirnos lo que queremos oír: “No te preocupes. Solo sé amable, comparte, sonríe y reza. Yo hago todo el trabajo duro por ti. Solo tienes que aceptarme como tu Señor y Salvador y estarás bien”.

Pero no responde de esa forma.

Nos dice que debemos entrar por una puerta angosta, que muchos no son lo suficientemente fuertes, que ni siquiera decir que lo conocemos nos asegurará que nos deje entrar en ese momento crítico. ¡A algunos les dirá, “Apártense de mí, todos ustedes los que hacen el mal”! Jesús no suavizó ese terrible momento cuando “llorarán ustedes y se desesperarán” los que han sido expulsados. 

Jesús nunca proclama un camino cómodo, fácil y autocomplaciente por un camino llano. Nos dice (y nos lo muestra con su propia vida y muerte) que será difícil, que tendremos que oponernos al mundo, que debemos tomar nuestra cruz, esforzarnos con todas nuestras fuerzas por recorrer el camino angosto y seguirlo por la senda que nos ha trazado. Los que aman de forma superficial y externa no podrán entrar, no porque Dios les haya cerrado la puerta, sino porque decidieron no entrar al rechazar su amistad y amor.

Jesús también nos recuerda que quienes parecen grandes, o incluso santos, a nuestro juicio humano pueden no serlo de verdad. Y algunos humildes y olvidados son precisamente los que se sentarán a la mesa en el Reino de Dios. En el juicio perfecto de Dios, toda injusticia será corregida: “los que ahora son los últimos, serán los primeros; y los que ahora son los primeros, serán los últimos”. Así que debemos aprender a apreciar la expresión de la justicia de Dios en el Magníficat de María: “su misericordia llega a sus fieles de generación en generación… ha dispersado a los soberbios de corazón; ha derribado de sus tronos a los poderosos y ha exaltado a los humildes; ha colmado de bienes a los hambrientos y ha despedido a los ricos con las manos vacías”.

Señor, ayúdame a estar contenta con ser de los últimos en este mundo —de los pocos, los pequeños— para poder ser de los primeros en tu Reino de Amor.

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Kathryn Mulderink, MA, is married to Robert, Station Manager for Holy Family Radio. Together they have seven children (including Father Rob), and eleven grandchildren. She is President of the local community of Secular Discalced Carmelites and has published five books and many articles. Over the last 30 years, she has worked as a teacher, headmistress, catechist, Pastoral Associate, and DRE, and as a writer and voice talent for Catholic Radio. Currently, she serves the Church by writing and speaking, and by collaborating with various parishes and to lead others to encounter Christ and engage their faith. Her website is www.KathrynTherese.com

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The views and opinions expressed in the Inspiration Daily blog are solely those of the original authors and contributors. These views and opinions do not necessarily represent those of Diocesan, the Diocesan staff, or other contributors to this blog.

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Different Venues, But Still Disciples / Distintos sitios, pero todavía discípulos

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I have always been inspired by the readings from the Acts of the Apostles. The way the followers of Christ sold everything and put it at the feet of the Apostles so everyone could be provided for, the way they persevered despite suffering so much for their faith, the way they traveled such vast distances to preach and teach. Having a background in missionary work, it is so nostalgic for me and makes me want to jump on a plane to go Evangelize in a foreign country. It always makes me want to do more. 

Yet I am at a season in life where I simply cannot do that. I am not called to fly across the ocean or cross the southern border. I have my own children to raise now, and a suffering husband to take care of. My “foreign country” is now the four walls of my home and my “ocean” is the depths of love it takes to persevere day in and day out, despite constant challenges. 

In the first reading Paul writes, “You are no longer strangers and sojourners, but you are fellow citizens with the holy ones and members of the household of God, built upon the foundation of the Apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the capstone. Through him the whole structure is held together and grows into a temple sacred in the Lord; in him you also are being built together into a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.” These words can bring so much joy to our hearts!

We may not be sojourners but we are still members of the household of God. We may not be able to go out and preach like the Apostles did but we are built upon their foundation. We were not afforded the privilege of meeting Jesus in person but He is still our capstone, our Leader. We are an essential part of the temple that is sacred to the Lord, the temple that He Himself holds together. And perhaps most importantly, God resides in us! We are a dwelling place of the Holy Spirit!

Essentially it doesn’t matter how far we travel or how many words we preach or how many people we convert. What matters is allowing God to work in us and through us in the way that He wishes. What matters is having the humility and the flexibility and the openness to become one of His fine-tuned instruments. What matters is loving and being loved by both God and others. So march on, missionary disciple, and continue the work that God has in store for you. 

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Siempre me han inspirado las lecturas de los Hechos de los Apóstoles. La forma en que los seguidores de Cristo vendieron todo y lo pusieron a los pies de los Apóstoles para que todos pudieran recibir sustento, la forma en que perseveraron a pesar de sufrir tanto por su fe, la forma en que viajaron distancias tan largas para predicar y enseñar. Con mi experiencia en el trabajo misionero, me resulta muy nostálgico y me dan ganas de subirme a un avión para ir a evangelizar a un país extranjero. Siempre me dan ganas de hacer más.

Sin embargo, estoy en una etapa de mi vida en la que simplemente no puedo hacerlo. No estoy llamada a cruzar el océano ni a cruzar la frontera del sur. Ahora tengo que criar a mis propios hijos y cuidar de un esposo que sufre. Mi “país extranjero” ahora son las cuatro paredes de mi casa y mi “océano” es la profundidad del amor que se requiere para perseverar día tras día, a pesar de las dificultades constantes.

En la primera lectura, Pablo escribe: “Ya no son ustedes extranjeros ni advenedizos; son conciudadanos de los santos y pertenecen a la familia de Dios, porque han sido edificados sobre el cimiento de los apóstoles y de los profetas, siendo Cristo Jesús la piedra angular.

Sobre Cristo, todo el edificio se va levantando bien estructurado, para formar el templo santo del Señor, y unidos a él también ustedes se van incorporando al edificio, por medio del Espíritu Santo, para ser morada de Dios.” ¡Estas palabras pueden traer mucha alegría a nuestros corazones!

Puede que no seamos advenedizos, pero seguimos siendo miembros de la familia de Dios. Quizás no podamos salir a predicar como lo hicieron los apóstoles, pero estamos edificados sobre su cimiento. No tuvimos el privilegio de conocer a Jesús en persona, pero Él sigue siendo nuestra piedra angular, nuestro Líder. Somos parte esencial del templo sagrado para el Señor, el templo que Él mismo mantiene unido. Y quizás lo más importante, ¡Dios reside dentro de nosotros! ¡Somos morada del Espíritu Santo!

En esencia, no importa cuán lejos viajemos, cuántas palabras prediquemos ni a cuántas personas convirtamos. Lo que importa es permitir que Dios obre en nosotros y a través de nosotros como Él desea. Lo que importa es tener la humildad, la flexibilidad y la disposición para convertirnos en uno de sus instrumentos afinados. Lo que importa es amar y ser amado tanto por Dios como por los demás. Así que, sigue adelante, discípulo misionero, y continúa la obra que Dios tiene preparada para ti.

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Tami Urcia is a midwestern gal from a large Catholic family. As a young adulthood she was a missionary in Mexico, where she studied theology and philosophy. After returning stateside bilingual, she gained a variety of work experience, traveled extensively and finished her Bachelor’s Degree at Brescia University. She loves organizing and simplifying things, watching her children play sports, deep conversations with close family and friends and finding unique ways to brighten others’ day with Christ’s love. She works full time at Diocesan in the Software Department and manages the Inspiration Daily reflections. She is also a contributing writer on CatholicMom.com and BlessedIsShe.net.

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The views and opinions expressed in the Inspiration Daily blog are solely those of the original authors and contributors. These views and opinions do not necessarily represent those of Diocesan, the Diocesan staff, or other contributors to this blog.

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Keeping the Lord’s Day Holy / Santificando el día del Señor

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Today’s Gospel reminds me of all that Jesus had to put up with. The leaders of the synagogue challenged Him because He healed a crippled woman on the Sabbath. She could not stand up straight. I know ladies that have the same condition and they struggle tremendously. 

According to the Law of Moses, work was not permitted on the Sabbath. In fact, simply walking a certain amount of steps was considered work (I wonder if that included walking to the synagogue on the Sabbath). Jesus was not happy with the leader of the synagogue’s response to the healing and called those in the crowd hypocrites. He gave them an example using everyday life. His adversaries were humiliated while the rest of the crowd “rejoiced at all the splendid deeds done by him.” 

Let me attempt to bring the happenings of that day into the present time. When I was a young boy growing up in Ludington, virtually all the stores were closed on Sunday. The only exception was a little Shell gas station that was open 24/7 for taxis.  What a difference compared to today! Many could not even imagine that.

Why were all the stores closed? To keep holy the Sabbath. Pretty radical, huh? Remember, the Ten Commandments are not ten suggestions. It took a few years, but slowly but surely stores began to open on Sundays. I mention this so you can take note of how changing just one thing    can gradually deteriorate our faith. Think for a moment about how many other aspects of our faith that has happened to also? Too many. 

What did it cost us not to go to the store on Sunday? Not much. It just took a little planning and sacrifice. We did it for hundreds of years and I don’t think anyone went hungry or died for lack of a cigarette. Teaching our children about sacrifices is really what we need to do. Just remember who performed the greatest sacrifice – Jesus Christ. 

I invite you all to think of a one or two ways you can kick the holiness of your Sundays up a notch. Yes, to act on them may require some sacrifice, but putting God first is always worth it.

Serving with joy!

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El Evangelio de hoy me recuerda todo lo que Jesús tuvo que soportar. Los líderes de la sinagoga lo enfrentaron porque sanó a una mujer lisiada el sábado. No podía pararse rectamente. Conozco a mujeres con la misma condición y batallan muchísimo.

Según la Ley de Moisés, no se permitía trabajar en Sabbath. De hecho, simplemente caminar cierta cantidad de pasos se consideraba trabajo (me pregunto si eso incluía caminar a la sinagoga el sábado). Jesús no estaba contento con la reacción del líder de la sinagoga ante la sanación y llamó hipócritas a los de la multitud. Les dio un ejemplo usando la vida cotidiana. Sus adversarios fueron humillados mientras que el resto de la multitud “se alegraba de todas las maravillas que él hacía”.

Permítanme intentar traer los sucesos de ese día al presente. Cuando era niño y crecía en Ludington, prácticamente todas las tiendas cerraban los domingos. La única excepción era una pequeña gasolinera Shell que estaba abierta 24 horas para los taxistas. ¡Qué diferencia con el día de hoy! Muchos ni siquiera podían imaginarlo.

¿Por qué estaban cerradas todas las tiendas? Para santificar el día del Señor. Es bastante radical, ¿verdad? Recuerden, los Diez Mandamientos no son diez sugerencias. Tomó algunos años, pero poco a poco, las tiendas comenzaron a abrir los domingos. Menciono esto para que se den cuenta de cómo cambiar una sola cosa puede deteriorar gradualmente nuestra fe. Piensen por un momento en cuántos otros aspectos de nuestra fe les ha pasado lo mismo. Demasiados.

¿Cuánto nos costó no ir a la tienda el domingo? No mucho. Solo requirió un poco de planificación y sacrificio. Lo hicimos durante cientos de años y no creo que nadie pasara hambre ni muriera por falta de un cigarrillo. Enseñar a nuestros hijos sobre los sacrificios es realmente lo que debemos hacer. Simplemente recuerden quién realizó el mayor sacrificio: Jesucristo.

Los invito a todos a pensar en una o dos maneras de elevar la santidad de los domingos. Sí, poner en práctica sus ideas puede requerir sacrificio, pero poner a Dios primero siempre vale la pena.

¡Sirviendo con alegría!

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Deacon Dan Schneider is a retired general manager of industrial distributors. He and his wife Vicki have been married for over 55 years. They are the parents of eight children and thirty-one grandchildren. He has a degree in Family Life Education from Spring Arbor University. He was ordained a Permanent Deacon in 2002.  He has a passion for working with engaged and married couples and his main ministry has been preparing couples for marriage.

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The views and opinions expressed in the Inspiration Daily blog are solely those of the original authors and contributors. These views and opinions do not necessarily represent those of Diocesan, the Diocesan staff, or other contributors to this blog.

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Justice and Humility / Justicia y Humildad

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Children seem to have a highly evolved sense of justice. As both a parent and a teacher, I can still hear the whiny refrain, “but it’s not fair,” and the complaint that so and so had more crayons or a bigger piece of cake or got to choose the game at recess. Really, though, what they have is a sense that someone has something bigger or better than they do and they do not like that at all.

As adults, we are different. Right? Maybe. You may be familiar with the Litany of Humility. Some parts of that prayer are hard to say, let alone desire. “From the desire of being loved… praised… preferred, deliver me Jesus… From the fear of being humiliated… despised… forgotten, deliver me Jesus… That others may be praised and I unnoticed, Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.”  

Humility is necessary to submit ourselves to the justice of God. Humility teaches us to behave like the tax collector in today’s Gospel and not like the Pharisee. The Pharisee is very concerned with doing what is correct according to the law and comparing himself to those he believes are not as good as he is. He shows a lack of humility and is judgmental. The tax collector, in contrast, begs for God’s mercy. He knows who he is, a sinner, like all of us. If we do not humbly acknowledge our sinfulness, we cannot receive God’s mercy.  Only when we go before God and acknowledge our sins and ask for forgiveness do we receive mercy.

The Pharisee and the tax collector are us. Maybe not at the same time, but certainly over a lifetime. We cannot help but be both because humility is not an easy virtue to acquire or to maintain. I have noticed that my ability to be humble lessens when I begin to think about life being “not fair” like children do. It also lessens when I think, “oh, look at me, I’m so humble,” somehow thinking it came from something I did rather than from God.

Praying the Litany of Humility is not easy, but it may be your time to pray it. Go slowly, notice what stings a bit or where you catch your breath and write it down. Then ask God to help you grow toward humility in those areas.

Life may not seem fair, but God is. I invite you to accept your life, with its joys and sorrows, in humility, knowing that God exalts the humble.

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Los niños parecen tener un sentido de la justicia muy desarrollado. Como madre y profesor, todavía puedo oír el lloriqueo de “pero no es justo”, y la queja de que esa otra persona tenía más crayones, un trozo de pastel más grande o pudo escoger el juego durante recreo. Sin embargo, en realidad, lo que tienen es la sensación de que alguien tiene algo más grande o mejor que ellos, y eso no les gusta para nada.

Como adultos, somos diferentes. ¿Verdad? Puede ser. Quizás conozcas la Letanía de la Humildad. Algunas partes de esa oración son difíciles de recitar, y mucho menos de desear. “Del deseo de ser amado… alabado… preferido, líbrame, Jesús… Del miedo de ser humillado… despreciado… olvidado, líbrame, Jesús… Para que otros sean alabados y yo pase desapercibido, Jesús, concédeme la gracia de desearlo”.

La humildad es necesaria para someternos a la justicia de Dios. La humildad nos enseña a comportarnos como el publicano del Evangelio de hoy y no como el fariseo. El fariseo se preocupa mucho por hacer lo correcto según la ley y se compara con quienes cree que no son tan buenos como él. Muestra falta de humildad y es crítico. El publicano, en cambio, implora la misericordia de Dios. Sabe quién es: un pecador, como todos nosotros. Si no reconocemos humildemente el hecho de que somos pecadores, no podemos recibir la misericordia de Dios. Solo recibimos misericordia cuando nos presentamos ante Dios, reconocemos nuestros pecados y pedimos perdón.

Nosotros somos tanto el fariseo como el publicano. Quizás no al mismo tiempo, pero sí a lo largo de la vida. No podemos evitar ser ambos, porque la humildad no es una virtud fácil de adquirir ni de mantener. He notado que mi capacidad de ser humilde disminuye cuando empiezo a pensar que la vida “no es justa”, como hacen los niños. También disminuye cuando pienso: “Oh, mírame, qué humilde soy”, pensando que de alguna manera proviene de algo que yo hice y no de Dios. 

Rezar la Letanía de la Humildad no es fácil, pero quizás sea tu momento de hacerlo. Leelo despacio, observa qué te duele un poco o dónde te quedas sin aliento y anótalo. Luego, pídele a Dios que te ayude a crecer en humildad en esos aspectos.

La vida puede parecer injusta, pero Dios sí es justo. Te invito a aceptar tu vida, con sus alegrías y sus tristezas, con humildad, sabiendo que Dios enaltece a los humildes.

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Deanna G. Bartalini, M.Ed.; M.P.A., is a certified spiritual director, writer, speaker and content creator. The LiveNotLukewarm.com online community is a place to inform, engage and inspire your Catholic faith. Her weekly Not Lukewarm Podcast gives you tips and tools to live out your faith in your daily life.

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The views and opinions expressed in the Inspiration Daily blog are solely those of the original authors and contributors. These views and opinions do not necessarily represent those of Diocesan, the Diocesan staff, or other contributors to this blog.

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Repent – Judgement or an Invitation? / Arrepentirse: ¿juicio o una invitación?

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They had it coming, right? Those Galileans and the poor chaps standing too close to the tower in Siloam? At the time of Jesus, that was the understanding: be holy and good things happen to you; be less than holy and look out for falling towers. But Jesus, once again, turned their understanding on its ear.

Were these Galileans greater sinners? No. Were the eighteen who died when the tower fell more guilty than everyone else? No. And then it gets harder to hear: “if you do not repent”, He warns them, – ready or not – “you will all perish as they did”. Just as he urges them to repent, He urges us to also.

The call to repentance is not one we like to hear, and it’s not one we generally believe we need. That other guy over there, clearly, he needs to repent, but I’m good, right? 

The word “sin” is a loaded one. Calling something a “sin” is often seen as harsh and condescending rather than what it is – anything that pulls us away from God, that draws our attention downward into ourselves, or has a negative effect on our relationship with God. That “offense against reason, truth, and right conscience,” that “failure in genuine love for God and neighbor caused by a perverse attachment to certain goods” (CCC 1849) has a name; it is called sin. It is no more a judgement for you to call my selfishness a sin than it is for you to call broccoli a vegetable. It simply is what it is. And, since sin “wounds the nature of man and injures human solidarity” (CCC 1849), it seems like a good idea to recognize it.

In today’s Gospel, Jesus urges us to stop looking to the sins of those around us and instead recognize our own roadblocks and challenges. His call to change is difficult, but in the next breath our Savior offers hope; he offers a parable on mercy. 

The gardener steps in to champion the fruitless fig tree. He asks for time to cultivate the soil around it, to fertilize the soil, and to urge from the tree new fruit. “Repent,” he seems to urge the fig tree. Surrender your heart to the care of the gardener and bear good fruit.

As long as we draw breath there is always time to turn our hearts toward the Son and grow. Whether our obstacles are large or small, grappling with each is a tilling of the soil, a tilling of the soul, that will make our lives richer and more abundant. Repent, not because you’re a bad, hopeless tree, but because you were created to be so much more. 

By admitting that we struggle with sin, we can recognize it for what it is and take the first steps toward breaking free of it. The call to repentance is not a judgement of how horrible we are but rather an invitation to become as glorious as we are intended to be.

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Se lo merecían, ¿verdad? ¿Esos galileos y los pobres hombres que estaban demasiado cerca de la torre de Siloé? En tiempos de Jesús, ese era el entendimiento: sean santos y les sucederán cosas buenas; sean menos santos y tengan cuidado con las torres que se caen. Pero Jesús, una vez más, volteó su entendimiento de las cosas.

¿Eran estos galileos peores pecadores? No. ¿Eran los dieciocho que murieron cuando la torre cayó más culpables que los demás? No. Y luego se hace más difícil escuchar: “si ustedes no se arrepienten”, les advierte, estén listos o no, “perecerán de manera semejante”. Así como los insta a arrepentirse, nos insta a nosotros también.

El llamado al arrepentimiento no es algo que nos guste escuchar, y no es uno que generalmente creamos que necesitamos. Ese otro hombre por allá, claramente, necesita arrepentirse, pero yo estoy bien, ¿verdad?

La palabra “pecado” tiene un significado pesado. Llamar a algo “pecado” a menudo se percibe como algo duro y condescendiente, en lugar de lo que es: cualquier cosa que nos aleja de Dios, que nos lleva a centrarnos en nosotros mismos o que tiene un efecto negativo en nuestra relación con Dios. Esa “falta contra la razón, la verdad, la recta conciencia; es faltar al amor verdadero para con Dios y para con el prójimo a causa de un apego perverso a ciertos bienes” (CIC 1849) tiene un nombre: se llama pecado. No es un juicio que llames pecado a mi egoísmo, como tampoco lo es que llames al brócoli una verdura. Simplemente es lo que es. Y, dado que el pecado “[h]iere la naturaleza del hombre y atenta contra la solidaridad humana” (CIC 1849), parece buena idea reconocerlo.

En el Evangelio de hoy, Jesús nos insta a dejar de fijarnos en los pecados de quienes nos rodean y, en cambio, a reconocer nuestros propios obstáculos y desafíos. Su llamado a cambiar es difícil, pero a continuación nuestro Salvador ofrece esperanza; ofrece una parábola sobre la misericordia. 

El jardinero interviene para defender a la higuera infructuosa. Pide tiempo para cultivar la tierra que la rodea, fertilizarla y obtener nuevos frutos del árbol. “Arrepiéntete”, parece instar a la higuera. Entrega tu corazón al cuidado del jardinero y darás buen fruto.

Mientras respiremos, siempre hay tiempo para volver nuestro corazón hacia el Hijo y crecer. Sean grandes o pequeños nuestros obstáculos, lidiar con cada uno es labrar la tierra, labrar el alma, que enriquecerá y hará nuestras vidas más abundantes. Arrepiéntete, no porque seas un árbol malo y sin esperanza, sino porque fuiste creado para ser mucho más.

Al admitir que luchamos con el pecado, podemos reconocerlo por lo que es y dar los primeros pasos para liberarnos de él. El llamado al arrepentimiento no es un juicio de lo horribles que somos, sino una invitación a alcanzar la gloria que estamos destinados a alcanzar.

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Pamela Kavanaugh is a grateful wife, mother, and grandmother who has dedicated her professional life to Catholic education. Though she has done her very best to teach her students well in the subjects of language and religion, she knows that she has learned more than she has taught. She lives, teaches, and writes in southwest suburban Chicago.

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The views and opinions expressed in the Inspiration Daily blog are solely those of the original authors and contributors. These views and opinions do not necessarily represent those of Diocesan, the Diocesan staff, or other contributors to this blog.

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Sacramental Power / Poder Sacramental

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Have you ever started a workout routine only to give up within the first day or two? Or how about a Lenten promise that you fulfill for maybe a week before you fall flat on your face? This seems to be a frequent occurrence for me. Part of my problem is that I tend to go so big with my goals that no human being could ever achieve them, so I inevitably fail. I say I am going to cut out all carbs and sugar and work out for 30 minutes each day on January 1st and then there I am on January 2nd eating a donut. It’s a struggle. 

I think this is a struggle that we can all relate with because it is a human struggle. Well, more precisely, it is a fallen human struggle. We were never meant to struggle like this. In the beginning, we didn’t struggle with sin and did not have weakness. Can you imagine going back to that time? I find myself relating very closely to Paul in today’s first reading. We do not do what we love and we do what we hate. 

Thankfully, we can still make progress. Even though we live in a fallen world and have fallen inclinations, we do have something that the people in the Old Testament did not, which is sacramental grace. This is why staying close to the sacraments is so important. The sacraments give us the grace to overcome the weakness we experience from The Fall. 

This is why Paul makes it clear that only God can deliver us from this mortal body. Here, Paul is not putting the body down. He is getting to the point that our body without the spirit and grace of God is dead. We are like walking zombies. If we are zombies without the help of God then we are superheros with his help. We can overcome anything with the strength and grace that God gives us through the sacraments. 

I think most of us reading this go to Mass regularly, but we sometimes forget or get too busy to take advantage of the other sacraments. Imagine what would happen to the world if we all frequented the sacraments and took on the power of Christ in all that we did. Oh, how the world would change!

From all of us here at Diocesan, God bless!

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¿Alguna vez has empezado una rutina de ejercicios y luego la abandonaste al primer o segundo día? ¿O capaz has hecho una promesa de Cuaresma que cumples por tan solo una semana antes de fracasar? Esto me ocurre con frecuencia. Parte del problema es que tiendo a ponerme metas tan altas que ningún ser humano podría alcanzarlas, así que inevitablemente fracaso. Digo que voy a eliminar todos los carbohidratos y el azúcar y hacer ejercicio 30 minutos cada día el primero de enero, y luego ahí estoy el segundo de enero comiendo una dona. Es una batalla constante.

Creo que esta es una batalla con la que todos podemos identificarnos porque es una batalla humana. Bueno, más precisamente, es una batalla de la humanidad caída. Nunca se supuso que batalláramos así. Al principio, no batallábamos con el pecado ni teníamos debilidad. ¿Te imaginas volver a esa época? Me identifico mucho con Pablo en la primera lectura de hoy. No hago el bien que quiero, sino el mal que no quiero.

Afortunadamente, aún podemos salir adelante. Aunque vivimos en un mundo caído y tenemos inclinaciones caídas, tenemos algo que la gente del Antiguo Testamento no tenía: la gracia sacramental. Por eso es tan importante mantenernos cerca de los sacramentos. Los sacramentos nos dan la gracia para superar la debilidad que experimentamos a raíz de la Caída.

Por eso Pablo deja claro que solo Dios puede librarnos de este cuerpo mortal. Pablo no está menospreciando el cuerpo. Está llegando al punto en que nuestro cuerpo, sin el espíritu y la gracia de Dios, está muerto. Somos como zombis andantes. Si somos zombis sin la ayuda de Dios, entonces somos superhéroes con su ayuda. Podemos superar cualquier cosa con la fuerza y ​​la gracia que Dios nos da a través de los sacramentos.

Creo que la mayoría de nosotros que leemos estas reflexiones vamos a misa semanalmente, pero a veces olvidamos o estamos demasiado ocupados para aprovechar los demás sacramentos. Imaginen lo que sucedería en el mundo si todos asistiéramos a los sacramentos y asumiéramos el poder de Cristo en todo lo que hiciéramos. ¡Cómo cambiaría el mundo!

De parte de todos nosotros aquí en la Diócesis, ¡Dios los bendiga!

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Tommy Shultz is a Business Development Representative for Diocesan. In this role he is committed to bringing the best software to dioceses and parishes while helping them evangelize on the digital continent. Tommy has worked in various diocese and parish roles since his graduation from Franciscan University with a Theology degree. He hopes to use his skills in evangelization, marketing, and communications, to serve the Church and bring the Good News to all. His favorite quote comes from St. John Paul II, who said, “A person is an entity of a sort to which the only proper and adequate way to relate is love.”

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How Great Is My Anguish / Cuán grande es mi angustia

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Today’s Gospel is quite an impassioned statement from Christ: “I have come to set the earth on fire, and how I wish it were already blazing! There is a baptism with which I must be baptized, and how great is my anguish until it is accomplished!” For a man who measures words with such care, He speaks now with a shocking fierceness. The rest of His statement no less so: “Do you think that I have come to establish peace on the earth? No, I tell you, but rather division.” What does that mean? Christ is the Prince of Peace. How could He wish division on His own creation?

When we read more difficult passages like this, it is important to remember two things. First, these are divinely inspired Gospels. God sent His Holy Spirit to inspire the hearts of these writers so that His message would endure to this very day. Second, God, not us, is the One with infinite wisdom. These passages are difficult, not because the Truth Himself is untrue, but because our human minds are limited. We do not see with His eyes.

It is also important to keep in mind that Christ’s Kingdom is not of this earth. He spent most of His earthly ministry patiently repeating that to His disciples. He isn’t establishing eternal peace in this world. After all, we weren’t made for this flawed, broken world either. We were made for eternity with Him. So what does this mean for us pilgrims in this earthly life? Will we have peace? What about division between loved ones? Why would a good God allow a family to be torn apart because of His word?

The truth is not always soft. Sometimes, truth is painful. The truth of Transubstantiation sent many of Christ’s disciples away. The truth of sin caused the Crucifixion. The truth of Catholicism has led to the death of the martyrs, and to other kinds of martyrdom as well, not all of them physical. Christ’s truth cannot bring peace to a world that rejects Him. Embracing your Faith may bring suffering. Perhaps you’ve already experienced it. 

We cannot see with His eyes, but He does give us the grace to trust in Him. And we can trust without a shadow of a doubt that His truth is worth dying for. If you had to die for your Faith, for Him, would you do it? And what if that death wasn’t physical? Would you still do it?

Division between loved ones is one of the most painful interior deaths. In all times and places, we are called to approach each other with charity and patience. But we must never forget what  and Whom we are living and dying for. Remember that your cross was His first, and He still carries it with you. The first to die for the Catholic Faith was our very own God, and He gives you the grace to bear that cross, too. Do not be afraid.

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El Evangelio de hoy es una declaración apasionada de Cristo: “He venido a traer fuego a la tierra, ¡y cuánto desearía que ya estuviera ardiendo! Tengo que recibir un bautismo, ¡y cómo me angustio mientras llega!” Para un hombre que mide sus palabras con tanto cuidado, ahora habla con una ferocidad impactante. El resto de su declaración sigue en la misma vaina: “¿Piensan acaso que he venido a traer paz a la tierra? De ningún modo. No he venido a traer la paz, sino la división”. ¿Qué significa eso? Cristo es el Príncipe de la Paz. ¿Cómo podría desear división en su propia creación?

Al leer pasajes más difíciles como este, es importante recordar dos cosas. Primero, estos son Evangelios divinamente inspirados. Dios envió a su Espíritu Santo para inspirar los corazones de estos escritores para que su mensaje perdurara a lo largo de los tiempos. Segundo, Dios, no nosotros, es quien posee la sabiduría infinita. Estos pasajes son difíciles, no porque la Verdad misma sea falsa, sino porque nuestras mentes humanas son limitadas. No vemos con sus ojos.

También es importante recordar que el Reino de Cristo no es de esta tierra. Dedicó la mayor parte de su ministerio terrenal repitiéndolo pacientemente a sus discípulos. No está estableciendo la paz eterna en este mundo. Después de todo, tampoco fuimos creados para este mundo imperfecto y quebrantado. Fuimos creados para la eternidad con Él. Entonces, ¿qué significa esto para nosotros, peregrinos en esta vida terrenal? ¿Tendremos paz? ¿Qué hay de la división entre seres queridos? ¿Por qué un Dios bueno permitiría que una familia sea destrozada por su palabra?

La verdad no siempre es suave. A veces, la verdad es dolorosa. La verdad de la Transubstanciación alejó a muchos de los discípulos de Cristo. La verdad del pecado causó la Crucifixión. La verdad del catolicismo ha llevado a los mártires hasta la muerte, y también a otros tipos de martirio, no todos físicos. La verdad de Cristo no puede traer paz a un mundo que lo rechaza. Abrazar tu fe puede traer sufrimiento. Quizás ya lo hayas experimentado. No podemos ver con sus ojos, pero nos da la gracia de confiar en Él. Y podemos confiar sin la menor duda que vale la pena morir por su verdad. Si tuvieras que morir por tu fe, por Él, ¿lo harías? ¿Y si esa muerte no fuera física, lo harías de todos modos?

La separación entre seres queridos es una de las muertes interiores más dolorosas. En todo momento y lugar, estamos llamados a acercarnos al otro con caridad y paciencia. Pero nunca debemos olvidar por qué y por quién vivimos y morimos. Recuerda que tu cruz primero fue la de Jesús, y todavía la carga contigo. El primero en morir por la fe católica fue nuestro propio Dios, y Él te da la gracia de llevar esa cruz también. No tengas miedo.

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Hailing from Nashville, Catherine is a graduate of Christendom College with a lifelong passion for words. Her love of writing and her Catholic Faith continue to shape her as a freelance editor, copywriter, and (aspiring) novelist, where she pursues her passions for the love and greater glory of God.

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The views and opinions expressed in the Inspiration Daily blog are solely those of the original authors and contributors. These views and opinions do not necessarily represent those of Diocesan, the Diocesan staff, or other contributors to this blog.

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Joy to the World / Alegría para el mundo

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In a recent conversation with my oldest son, we were discussing the fact that the things that bring the most happiness in life don’t cost a dime. I gave him the examples of the love between couples and quality family time. He went on to dispute (because that’s just what adolescents do) that these things do in fact cost money. He said that for a guy to take his girlfriend out for coffee, it costs money, or for a family to enjoy an outing, even if their destination doesn’t charge an entrance fee, you still need gas and food. I conceded that he had a point, but that I was referring to the sentiments and the actual time spent with loved ones, for I truly believe that money doesn’t buy happiness. I’m not sure I had him convinced…

The following day, I was driving a different route to work due to construction on the main highway and I noticed a crossing guard. I had seen her before on other days but for some reason she struck me differently on this particular day. Now this area of town is not the best, yet there she stood, waving to each car that passed by with a huge smile on her face. Most drivers didn’t bother to wave back and just went on their way, but that day I decided to wave back and offer her my own smile. As I passed her, I noticed just how bright her face was, just how sincere her joy. I decided that perhaps she was one of those angels that God places in our path to make our day just a little bit brighter. 

I could definitely say the same about St. John Paul II, whose feast we celebrate today. I had the privilege of seeing him in person at two World Youth Days and he radiated that same kind of bright joy. He suffered so much during his lifetime, including the death of his family members, the plague of communism, his own personal illness, and so much more, yet he always appeared so full of joy.  

Today’s Psalm proclaims, “Our help is in the name of the LORD, who made heaven and earth.” No matter how many men rise up against us, no matter how fiercely the raging waters sweep over us, the Lord does not leave us. He rescues us “like a bird from the fowler’s snare”. I’m sure John Paul II was fully aware of this reality, and probably the crossing guard too, and that is what brought them joy. It’s not the absence of problems, but rather the assurance that God is with us through them all. The One who is powerful enough to make Heaven and Earth is our help. 

With this knowledge, let us all be a beacon of joy to our world. We have been offered salvation, a relationship with Almighty God, and an infinity of love. We have been entrusted with much, so much will be required of us (see Gospel). Let’s start with shining our light to those around us. 

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En una conversación reciente con mi hijo mayor, estábamos discutiendo que las cosas que traen más felicidad en la vida no cuestan ni un centavo. Le puse ejemplos del amor de pareja y el tiempo de calidad en familia. Me empezó a discutir (porque eso es lo que hacen los adolescentes) que estas cosas sí cuestan dinero. Dijo que para que un chico invite a su novia a tomar un café, cuesta dinero, o para que una familia disfrute de un paseo, incluso si el destino no cobra entrada, requiere gasolina y comida. Le concedí que tenía razón, pero que me refería a los sentimientos y al tiempo mismo que se pasa con los seres queridos, porque creo firmemente que el dinero no compra la felicidad. No estoy segura de haberlo convencido…

Al día siguiente, iba manejando por una ruta diferente al trabajo debido a la construcción en la carretera principal y vi a una guardia de cruce. La había visto otros días, pero por alguna razón me afectó de forma diferente ese día en particular. Esta zona de la ciudad no es la mejor, pero allí estaba ella, saludando a cada carro que pasaba con una enorme sonrisa. La mayoría de los conductores no tomaron el tiempo de saludar y seguían su camino, pero ese día decidí saludarle y ofrecerle mi propia sonrisa. Al pasar junto a ella, noté lo radiante que era su rostro, lo sincera que era su alegría. Se me ocurrió que tal vez era uno de esos ángeles que Dios pone en nuestro camino para alegrarnos un poco el día.

Sin duda, podría decir lo mismo de San Juan Pablo II, cuya fiesta celebramos hoy. Tuve el privilegio de verlo en persona en dos Jornadas Mundiales de la Juventud e irradiaba esa misma alegría radiante. Sufrió mucho durante su vida, incluyendo la muerte de sus familiares, la plaga del comunismo, su propia enfermedad y mucho más, pero siempre se mostró lleno de alegría.

El Salmo de hoy proclama: “La ayuda nos viene del Señor, que hizo el cielo y la tierra.” No importa cuántos hombres nos asaltan, no importa si las aguas del torrente nos llegan al cuello, el Señor no nos abandona. Nos rescata “como a un pájaro de la trampa de los cazadores”. Estoy segura de que Juan Pablo II era plenamente consciente de esta realidad, y probablemente la guardia de cruce también, y eso es lo que les trajo alegría. No es la ausencia de problemas, sino la seguridad de que Dios está con nosotros en medio de todos ellos. Aquel que es lo suficientemente poderoso para crear el Cielo y la Tierra es nuestra ayuda.

Con este conocimiento, seamos todos un faro de alegría para el mundo. Se nos ha ofrecido la salvación, una relación con Dios Todopoderoso y un amor infinito. Se nos ha confiado mucho, y mucho se nos exigirá (ver el Evangelio). Comencemos por hacer brillar la luz de Cristo a quienes nos rodean.

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Tami Urcia is a midwestern gal from a large Catholic family. As a young adulthood she was a missionary in Mexico, where she studied theology and philosophy. After returning stateside bilingual, she gained a variety of work experience, traveled extensively and finished her Bachelor’s Degree at Brescia University. She loves organizing and simplifying things, watching her children play sports, deep conversations with close family and friends and finding unique ways to brighten others’ day with Christ’s love. She works full time at Diocesan in the Software Department and manages the Inspiration Daily reflections. She is also a contributing writer on CatholicMom.com and BlessedIsShe.net.

Feature Image Credit: MI PHAM, unsplash.com/photos/a-young-boy-running-through-a-sprinkle-of-water-FtZL0r4DZYk

The views and opinions expressed in the Inspiration Daily blog are solely those of the original authors and contributors. These views and opinions do not necessarily represent those of Diocesan, the Diocesan staff, or other contributors to this blog.