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Where You Lead

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“If we wish to follow Christ closely, we cannot choose an easy, quiet life.  It will be a demanding life, but full of joy.” –Pope Francis

Today’s Gospel reading quotes Christ saying, “Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.” (Matthew 10:39). Over the past few years I have had times of feeling like I am right where I belong, and other times I have felt completely out of sorts. There have been joys and their have been trials in life. Navigating the ups and downs of having an anxiety disorder, moving away from my hometown, and changing jobs multiple times have caused me great distress and ultimately increased my desire to follow Christ.

When we face the struggles of life it can be debilitating. Time and time again I have difficulty taking the trials that come my way in stride – I prefer to feel sorry for myself, be depressed, and ultimately feel hopeless. I don’t prefer this approach to trials because it feels good, but rather because it is easier. It is easier to feel bad for myself and feel as though I am being persecuted, and it is much harder to focus upon the positives in life and how God has blessed me along the journey of life thus far.

The road to Heaven is narrow. With the call to carry our cross and follow Christ we are automatically embracing the suffering that will come our way, because we will always face suffering in this life.  When we maintain our peace and trust in God’s promises we grow in relationship with Him through leaning on Him more and more. When we give up control, lose our life for the Kingdom, embrace the suffering, and go wherever Christ calls without reservation He will bless our endeavors beyond our wildest dreams – we belong to Him and we find our lives in Him.

“Pain and suffering have come into your life, but remember pain, sorrow, suffering are but the kiss of Jesus – a sign that you have come so close to Him that He can kiss you.” –St. Teresa of Calcutta

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Nathalie Shultz is a joyful convert to the Catholic faith and a competitive swimmer with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD).  She loves to share her passion for Catholicism with others, including her conversion story and how God continues to work miracles in her life through her OCD.  Nathalie is married to her best friend, Tommy Shultz. Her favorite saints include St. Peter the Apostle, St. Teresa of Calcutta, and St. John Paul II. She is also a huge fan of C.S. Lewis. If you have any questions for Nathalie, or just want her to pray for you, you can email her at ignitedinchristnacc@gmail.com.

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Forgiven, Again and Again

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An IMDb search of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat comes up with the following description: “In this filmed adaptation of the long-running musical, we see the story of Joseph, son of Jacob. The favored son, he is betrayed by his jealous brothers and sold into slavery and driven to Egypt. Though beset with adversity, Joseph perseveres through wit and faith and becomes the Governor of Egypt, second only to the Pharaoh.”

Many of us have probably seen this exact movie or maybe even the original musical itself. But what about the rest of the story? Today’s first reading from the end of the book of Genesis gives us a little glimpse!

We see the deaths of both Jacob and Joseph. We see fear and deceit from the brothers (smh) and forgiveness on the part of Joseph. Again.

What we don’t see in this passage is the blessing that Jacob imparted on his 12 sons prior to his death, which he then followed with instructions regarding his burial. Nor do we hear about Jacob’s funeral but we do get the emotional ramifications.

Almost as if they don’t know Joseph, the brothers become fearful of retribution. Will he kill them? Put them in jail? Starve them? They know deep in their hearts the wrongs they have committed against Joseph. The punishment must fit the crime, right? And so they resort to lies and conniving words to avoid consequences.

I step back and put this scene in perspective. Almost as if we don’t know our Heavenly Father, we become fearful of retribution. We know deep in our hearts the wrongs, the sins we have committed against Him. The punishment must fit the crime, right? But we forget time and time again of His endless love and mercy. All He desires, all He longs for, is for us to return to Him. To express forgiveness for our sins. Pope Saint John Paul the Great said, “God never tires of forgiving us; we are the ones who tire of seeking His mercy.”

Joseph embodies this spirit SO WELL. His brothers literally sold him into slavery in Egypt and he forgave them. His brothers seek to harm him again, this time by their words, yet Joseph forgives them AGAIN, saying, “Even though you meant to harm me, God meant it for good, to achieve this present end, the survival of many people.” Joseph then took his brothers in, cared and provided for them and their children.

Take heart, brothers and sisters. Sin will always be treated with forgiveness and mercy in the eyes of Our Lord. Praise Jesus.

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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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Sheep Amidst Wolves

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Today’s Gospel may make us think twice about being disciples of Jesus! He has called the Twelve and begun to give them instructions about their mission in the world, and he is very straightforward about what it will look like. It is not all sunshine and roses.

On the contrary, he sending them “like sheep in the midst of wolves” where they will be handed over to the courts and scourged because they will be “hated by all.” Hm. We might anticipate that they would run from a task with this kind of job description. Why don’t they?

They remain with Jesus for the same reason WE remain with Jesus: because Jesus really is the Way, the Truth, and the Life, the image of the invisible God, the One who loves us to the end, giving himself over to death, even death on a cross, so that we can be with him for all eternity in the House of the Father!

Jesus is not trying to scare them away with this reality check. Rather, he is helping to free them of their mistaken notion that they will reign on thrones in this world, and giving them instructions for how they should respond to the persecution that will come: they must be “shrewd as serpents,” not oblivious to what is happening against them, but also “simple as doves” in their singlemindedness about their mission; they must not worry about how they are to speak, but focus on remaining open to the Holy Spirit, Who will speak through them.

Why must they suffer these things? “As a witness before them.” Persecution – even the little persecutions we undergo in everyday life – are always an opportunity to witness to the truth, in love. When we respond with love, when we remain steadfast in the truth, when we do not let the opinions of others keep us from doing what is right, we are witnessing to the truth that Jesus Christ really is Lord of our hearts. When this is difficult (and let’s face it: even something as simple as stating the truth about the sanctity of human life or making the Sign of the Cross in a restaurant can be difficult, and can be looked down upon even by fellow Catholics!), we can either be conquered by our need for human approval, or we can conquer the subtleties of the opposition by doing the right thing. Will we be conquered or will we conquer?

Jesus gives his disciples the way to conquer: be aware, but do not worry; trust in the Spirit to guide our words and actions; above all, persevere. He does not say those who make great speeches will be saved, or those whose lives are marked with dramatic witness, or those who glow in the dark because of their holiness! He says, simply: “Whoever endures to the end will be saved.”

We must steadfastly persevere in doing what is right and growing in relationship with Jesus, so that we can do what we are called to do. So let us all pray for the Gifts of the Holy Spirit, especially fortitude, and receive the fruit of faithfulness, no matter what kind of opposition we face today.

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Kathryn Mulderink, MA, is married to Robert, Station Manager for Holy Family Radio. Together they have seven children (including Deacon 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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God, the Master Change Artist

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It is truly amazing how God can turn around a horribly difficult situation and use it for the good. I wonder if in the moment, Joseph was able to catch a glimpse of that. I mean, his brothers hated him. They were so jealous of him that they despised him and wanted him dead. One of them interceded on his behalf and thought it better to sell him into slavery. What?! You think you’re a hero because you’re selling your brother instead of killing him? Isn’t it essentially the same thing, since he is never more to be seen by his family and friends anyway? But in an interesting and fateful turn of events, the very brother they once despised was now the one saving them from famine. They are bowing down to his mercy and he is calling their evil actions a work of God!

This passage is tremendous proof of God’s power and mercy for me. Only God could orchestrate such an unforeseen turn of events. Not only did Joseph’s family live but many, many others as well.  God could have struck his brothers down, punished them for their wicked deeds and here He was, designing a way to feed them and give them life. And He does the same for us, day in and day out. He does not punish us for our sins, but rather seeks us out, chases after us, and feeds us with His Body and Blood.

My husband and I are in the midst of a very difficult family situation. We have talked about it for hours, thought of every possible reason, looked at it from every possible angle and come up with every possible solution. We have suffered emotionally, psychologically and financially. We have had extremely hard decisions to make that affect others. Today I read “Don’t give up. Don’t ever give up on God” (paraphrase), but what about people? Do we give up on people who never change and end up doing us harm?

While the First Reading seems to be intent on second chances, the Gospel states “Whoever will not receive you or listen to your words – go outside that house [] and shake the dust from your feet. Amen, I say to you, it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of judgment than for th[em]. Those are some strong words and Jesus is not one to mince them. He says what He means and means what He says. It seems we are stuck between a rock and a hard place. What are we to do?

Perhaps my answer is found in this one phrase: “If the [person] is worthy, let your peace come upon [him]; if not, let your peace return to you.” I must not lose my peace. With the knowledge of God’s presence and His unfailing love, my peace should return. I cannot rely on other human beings to maintain my peace. It comes from God alone. And who knows, perhaps God will turn this family situation around for the good as well! One can always hope…

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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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How I View the World

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I am amazed. How is it that scripture written 2000 years ago is still applicable in contemporary society? Think about this for a while. Human nature is quite fascinating and frightening. Yet, we clearly do not tend to learn from our previous mistakes. Not on a historical basis (think of responses to famine, natural disasters, nuclear crisis, racism, war, trade) nor do we on a personal basis.

The first reading stopped me in my tracks. I am plunged into the reality of suffering in humanity that has happened across the millennia. The reading from Genesis brings forth a parallel to the crisis today at our southern border. I will not soon forget Oscar Martínez and his 23-month-old daughter Angie Valeria tucked under her daddy’s t-shirt. 

On any given day, I read of egregious acts that occur here in the USA. I am appalled. I post about these ‘items’ in my social media. I have conversations with my coworkers, family, and friends. The next day, the topic changes as new situations and concerns are raised and discussed. Nothing gets resolved. Yes, we may add a specific instance to our prayers for a few days. Then after a couple more days, those too get set aside to begin a new list. Yet are these concerns all that different? 

Joseph was giving stored grains to feed his countrymen. He fed all who came to him “for famine had gripped the whole world.”  When Joseph’s brothers came to him, he locked them up in the guardhouse for three days… One brother says, “Did I not tell you not to do wrong to the boy? But you did not listen.” 

We are called to be disciples. We are given this charge when we are baptized. We have Jesus’ teachings and those of the Church for direction and guidance. It is up to us to be well versed in these so we can listen and follow the examples Jesus and the apostles gave us. When we don’t listen to our charge to be disciples of Christ we can cause pain, suffering, and wrongs to our fellow man. Our Bishops are again calling for change. 

There are seven Catholic social teachings themes of 1) Life and Dignity of the Human Person, 2) the Call to Family, Community, and Participation, 3) Rights and Responsibilities, 4) the Poor and Vulnerable, 5) the Dignity of Work and the Rights of Workers, 6) Solidarity, and 7) Care for God’s Creation. All of these can help give us direction and challenge to our way of looking at the world. It is up to each of us to choose how to do what is in Right Relationship with these core Catholic teachings. The Holy Spirit is here to help us on this journey right now.

Come Holy Spirit, enkindle in us the fire of your love. Teach us your ways. Help me to be an instrument of action in the world. May we strive to be part of Right Relationships within our lives and communities for all people. Amen.

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Beth is part of the customer care team at Diocesan. She brings a unique depth of experience to the group due to her time spent in education, parish ministries, sales and the service industry over the last 25 yrs. She is a practicing spiritual director as well as a Secular Franciscan (OFS). Beth is quick to offer a laugh, a prayer or smile to all she comes in contact with. Reach her here bprice@diocesan.com.

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Just Ask

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Genesis gives us the graphic, if not also cryptic, story of Jacob wrestling with God. And much to our surprise, Jacob prevails. And once again, as we have seen before in the Scriptures, God changes a name to make note of the changes of an “old self” to a “new self.” Abram became Abraham; Sarai became Sarah, and Jacob became Israel. There is so much to this story that we could take the day to pick it apart and try to make some sense of it and what it means for our lives today.

It is accepted that the “man” Jacob wrestled with was God, in human form. At morning when God wanted to end the struggle, Jacob said “no”, not until God gave him a blessing. Some might say this was quite an arrogant request, asking for a blessing. It reminds me of when Abraham argued with God over the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. “Will you not spare the cities for the sake of fifty righteous people”? …then forty-five…then forty…then thirty…and finally for ten righteous people. Abraham dared to continue to argue with God for these folks and we could ask how Abraham could be so arrogant while in the presence of God.

But don’t we do the same thing? Don’t we sometimes show our arrogance in the things we ask for in prayer, whether directly to God the Father, or to Jesus, or to the Holy Spirit? After all, who are we to ask for such things? Who are we to think that God, in his almighty, omnipotent personhood would listen to us? Pause and take a breath. Yes, we will ask. And, yes, God will listen.

I like to think that Jacob, in asking for a blessing (in spite of being left weak and slightly crippled by the encounter), knew enough of the goodness of God, and God’s love for his creation, that the blessing would be granted. God will do the same for us.

Think back, recent or long past, when you have struggled with your spiritual self, looking for support, and yes, a blessing to get through a tough time in your life. Did you survive? Did you even recognize the blessing? Often, we don’t. And then, it will be years later when pondering our lives that we will see that the blessing was there all along, and only now being manifested. I know I can. I look at where I am today, after the twists and turns of my life, my family, my career, and my relationships, and see how God has guided me to this place. It is in our prayer and relationship with God and his Son that we will eventually see that the good things, in spite of the hard knocks of life, have brought us to a better place spiritually.

The blessings we dare to ask for should not be for riches or gain of any kind. These blessings will be for the heart; for the soul that longs to be in communion with its creator and God. Our asking is not arrogant on our part, nor is it weak. It is, rather, a humble acknowledgment that God is in charge, and we should have nothing about which to worry. Oh, we will worry. But worry will eventually pass as we flee to the peaceful and strong arms of our God, of our Savior, and to the Spirit who will bolster our spirits and give us courage.

It is in this fleeing that we will see the face of God. We will see the face of God and reap a blessing beyond anything the world can give. It is ours only for the asking.

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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You Can’t Always Get What You Want

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I will start with a confession: I’m a junkie, and my drug of choice is English mystery shows. Foyle’s War, Grantchester, Single-Handed, Christie… the list goes on and on. I like them because what they show is people in stressful situations, and that always ups the ante, so to speak, on human interest.

Plus, I love the accents.

In re-watching Broadchurch recently, a drama that deals eloquently and respectfully with a village torn apart by a child’s murder, the grieving parents go to the local priest and say, “We prayed and prayed! Why can’t we find peace?” And the priest replies with compassion and love and a little sadness, “Sometimes God doesn’t give us what we ask for. Sometimes he gives us what we need.”

It’s a profound lesson for those of us who grew up on (and still use) laundry-lists instead of prayers. “I want this… and this… and this…”

I’m very struck by the story within the story of today’s Gospel when Jesus—already hurrying on his unquestionably important mission of raising a child from the dead—stops when he feels someone touching his garment. A woman has touched it, a woman with a terrible disease, and believing she would be healed, she reached out to him. Matthew’s account of this encounter is shorter than that of the other evangelists, but we still get the idea. She believed him to be a healer—a good thing—but she also didn’t really see much beyond what she was asking for. I want to be healed. I want to be out of pain. I know you have some kind of magic. You don’t even have to turn around. I just want to be healed; that’s all.

She wanted health; she would have been quite contented to have had no more to do with him, if she could only have been cured and then slipped away from the crowd. She had her prayer list: “I want this… and this… and this…”

But Jesus isn’t about lists, and, as the priest in the other story observed, sometimes we don’t get what we want, but rather what we need. In this case, the woman got both. She got what she wanted, instant healing, which in turn may have made her more open to what Jesus subsequently observed she needed: faith in the healer.

Probably accustomed to slinking around—any disease having to do with blood would have automatically made her unclean—she was now suddenly in the spotlight. Jesus stops, he turns. The crowd around him stops too, probably disgruntled: they thought they were on their way to a resurrection. Everyone is staring at her. There are probably some unkind words said. But Jesus, having caught her in her part of the bargain, now seals his: you took a risk, he tells her. Now you’re well. What’s next?

Even if we get what we want, even when we get what we want, there’s always a “what’s next?” God isn’t a benevolent Santa Claus in the sky, happy to hear what we want and give it to us, his only reward a plate of cookies and a glass of tepid milk. God could have originated the adage “to whom more is given, more is expected.” You have been healed; is your life the same?

Of course, it isn’t for us, any more than it was for her. Matthew is brief in his description, but Mark goes into more detail. In his version, the woman stands up, only to then throw herself at Jesus’ feet. She got her healing, but she got so much more besides. She didn’t slink away. She didn’t cover herself in shame. She became a follower of Jesus. There was no real connection between touching the robe and healing, but the woman thought there was, and so Christ stooped to her childish thought, and allowed her to prescribe the form his mercy should take. He gave her what she wanted. And then, by acknowledging her, by—shockingly—speaking directly to her, he gave her also what she needed: the opportunity to take the pathway to eternal life.

My dearest friend Caren is struggling in a job that has become increasingly toxic. She has education, years of experience, immense qualifications. For over a year she’s been sending out her résumé, and every time a company seems interested, something dramatic suddenly happens. The company is acquired by another one. There’s a freeze on hiring. Some reorganization is going on. Meanwhile, things at her current job are going from bad to worse, as her department is being phased out altogether.

She keeps asking God—no, imploring God—to help her secure a new job. For reasons far beyond our understanding, he apparently is saying no. Or not yet. We don’t know.

God isn’t giving her what she wants, what she’s asking for. Is he giving her what she needs? In some convoluted way, that’s what we’re being called to believe. That is the essence of faith. To touch the garment. To take the setbacks. To not see where the road is going, but to trust it’s going somewhere. To put away the list of things we want and sit for a time with what we have and then ask, humbly, for the next best step.

On those English mystery TV shows I watch, this all gets resolved in an hour or so. In real life, it takes a little longer. I ask for your prayers for my friend. And for patience in your own lives. God really is at work in our world. We may not see it, but we know it. We have touched the garment. We have been healed… and so much more.

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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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The Sky is Falling

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Warm ash falls from the tops of buildings as the brightest light imaginable makes our pupils dilate to the size of a pen head. There is a heat that can only be described as that of a blazing furnace built for forging swords of old. This sounds like the opening paragraph of a book about the end of the world, but really it’s just me imagining what the end of the world might be like.

There is a lot of talk today about the end of the world. As our culture seems to deteriorate more and more we can’t help but wonder where all of this is going and how fast. The optimist in me immediately reminds myself that there have been many times that cultures have thought the world was ending, but it didn’t. Whether the end of the world is near or not, a question that we just don’t know the answer to, I think our response to the world today should be one of optimism.

It is easy to look around and feel like the sky is falling around us, but the Gospel today reminds us that, “The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few.”

Today in the Church we could look at the situation and get depressed about the slew of people leaving the Church but what is that going to get us? Instead, the Gospel reminded me today that I am one of the disciples. I am called to go out during this time where the harvest can be so abundant, but I need to go and till the soil. I think that is a call for all of us.

I am reminded of that iconic scene from the Lord of the Rings:

“Frodo: I can’t do this, Sam.

Sam: I know.
It’s all wrong
By rights, we shouldn’t even be here.
But we are.
It’s like in the great stories Mr. Frodo.
The ones that really mattered.
Full of darkness and danger they were,
and sometimes you didn’t want to know the end.
Because how could the end be happy.
How could the world go back to the way it was when so much bad happened.
But in the end, it’s only a passing thing, this shadow.
Even darkness must pass.
A new day will come.
And when the sun shines it will shine out the clearer.
Those were the stories that stayed with you.
That meant something.
Even if you were too small to understand why.
But I think, Mr. Frodo, I do understand.
I know now.
Folk in those stories had lots of chances of turning back only they didn’t.
Because they were holding on to something.

Frodo: What are we holding on to, Sam?

Sam: That there’s some good in this world, Mr. Frodo. And it’s worth fighting for.”

I don’t know about you but that scene gets me amped up. I get excited that every person I meet is another chance to share the love of Christ. I get excited that there are people out there who really want to know the truth and I can present it to them. I get pumped about learning new things about my neighbors and entering into their experience.

The point is that we are all called to be disciples and to till the soil. When we think about the daunting task ahead of us do we fall into despair and immediately think about the end of the world or do you think more like Sam? I pray that I can be a Sam. 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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The Wedding Feast

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I absolutely love when God’s love and our relationship with him are described in wedding terms. I especially love when those terms include food. Think back to the most delicious wedding reception you have ever attended. For me, it was my own. We found a place to cater our wedding that had the absolute best wedding food I have ever had. We had pulled pork sandwiches, chicken teriyaki skewers, and fancy mac and cheese. Instead of dry chicken and boiled vegetables, we had comfort food specifically because we wanted people to enjoy it and have a really good time.

The beauty of food is that it brings people together. We all have a favorite family recipe that we love to bring to events or family gatherings. We all have that Aunt or Uncle who is so good at cooking that they could start their own restaurant. We just celebrated the 4th of July. Have you ever noticed that every major holiday has a feast as the hallmark of the celebration? We come together around food.

It is no different with our communal relationship with Christ. The Mass is people from all different backgrounds coming together and sharing in a meal, but this meal does not leave us wanting more or hurting from overeating. This meal gives us eternal life. St. Francis de Sales once said, “When the bee has gathered the dew of heaven and the earth’s sweetest nectar from the flowers, it turns it into honey, then hastens to its hive. In the same way, the priest, having taken from the altar the Son of God (who is as the dew from heaven, and true son of Mary, flower of our humanity), gives him to you as delicious food.”

Jesus is our food and we can experience him here and now, but we also long for the fulfillment of the wedding feast of the lamb, we all long for heaven. Or at least we should. As Christians, we should groan in hunger for our future heavenly feast. If we don’t then perhaps we should fast more. This is something I want to do more in my life. Fasting allows us to feel hunger, and that hunger can remind us that we hunger to be perfectly united with God.

As we all rest from eating during the holiday, let’s try to make one tangible decision to fast in the hopes that we will be reminded of how much we hunger for God. This could be as simple as giving up salt on your meals for a week or something bigger like fasting every Wednesday and eating nothing but bread and water. You know where you are at in your relationship with God. What is going to help you take the next step towards God, the next step closer to the wedding feast where we will no longer hunger or thirst? 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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He Desires Mercy

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A couple of weeks ago, I shared my story of a homeless man asking for change and how I was embarrassed for wanting to give him less than a dollar. I thought I was golden for having realized that I need to be more generous. Apparently, I thought I had learned my lesson in generosity and was ready to move onto the next fruit of the Spirit. 

Today’s Gospel reminds me that just because I sacrificed my money, that does not mean that I am done. I am not 100 percent generous and holy and ready to move on. Instead, he is asking me to take a step deeper into true stewardship and community. 

Being generous is not quite the same thing as doing God’s work. There is more to helping people around you than just words and physical gifts. My friend in college used to say that “Anyone can give money, but not everyone actually gives a hoot.”

Jesus says something similar when he tells us, “I desire mercy, not sacrifice.” We are to look at the people around us, the lost, the poor, the weak, the people we call “other,” and see them as the children of God that they are.  Maybe I’m on Facebook more often or maybe I am becoming more socially aware, but I see such a lack of mercy in our culture, in the nation that I truly love and celebrated yesterday. 

I see animosity on social media rather than two sides learning from one another. I see people selfishly fighting each other instead of selflessly fighting for change. What’s worse is that I see people’s blatant disregard for human life just because they are born in another country, born into a different culture, born in another time period, or just simply unborn. 

I want to know where the mercy is because, for a great nation that came into existence by immigration, all I see is a self-serving sacrifice. Our God does not want a flippant sacrifice. He expects something much more complex and often more difficult for us. He desires mercy. 

The Lord wants, deeply desires, for us to be compassionate and practice forgiveness. He desires for us to let go of our anger and forgive people for being different than us, even though they may not know American customs, do not acknowledge the sanctity of life, and even if they do not know or believe in God. Our Father wants us to come from a place of wanting better for the people you disagree with, wanting for them to know the truth with love, not vindictively.

Today, I ask you to consider the things you read in the media and try to understand the people in the stories,  rather than only seeing the political issues. Focus on the people and what they must be going through. Consider the risks they are taking and the pain that they are in. See that the trouble that they find themselves in were never their first choice. 

In your heart, you’ll know that the choices they’ve made, right or wrong, good or bad, were not easy. 

Gracious and Loving God,
Help us in this time of great suffering,
That we may look upon those suffering with the love you have shown us.
Grant us your patience to be silent and listen when we think we are right.
Grant us your love to pour forth on those that do not know you.
Grant us your strength to have mercy for those that need it the most.
We are not done learning from each other and we are never done learning from You, O Lord.
May the Holy Spirit, our guide, lead us toward compassion.
May Jesus Christ, who forgave his murderers, teach us forgiveness.

Amen.

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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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Belief in the Son

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“I believe in Christianity as I believe that the sun has risen: not only because I see it, but because by it I see everything else. –C.S. Lewis

I often think about what it would be like to walk alongside Christ. What if he knocked on my door and asked to go for a walk, or what if He came into the house and sat on our couch? I wish that I could experience Him in the way that the apostles did while they spent time with Him before His ascension into Heaven, the way that the individuals encountered Him on the Road to Emmaus.

While I often imagine what these happenings would be like I am simultaneously wondering if I would truly believe Christ was physically present with me, would my heart be on fire due to His presence, or would I need proof of His presence by touching His side and wounds like St. Thomas the Apostle did?

St. Thomas said he would not believe Christ had appeared to the rest of the apostles unless he could see Christ’s wounds and put his hand into Christ’s side. How often do we doubt God’s presence and power in our own lives, wanting physical signs of God?  I tend to pray for signs, even though I know God does not want me to test Him – rather He wants me to trust with an open heart all of His promises. How do we let our soul ascent to the Heavens rather than let our hearts get stuck in the mud? The answer lies in the Sacraments that God has given us in the Church.

God knows that as humans we need our senses to be engaged so that we can be further drawn into the mysteries of our faith.  When you have trouble believing in God’s presence look to the sacraments. God gives us a physical sign of His love through the graces He provides in the sacraments instituted by Christ. While it takes a great leap of faith to believe in the sacraments, who God is, and all that the Church teaches we must remember that the road to Heaven is narrow and will ask great things of us. God sent His only Son to help us walk this narrow path with an open heart and faith in Christ’s promises. If we look to the life of Christ on earth we can be more assured than ever of the truth of who God really is: Shepherd, Bread of Life, the Lamb, and the Light.

No matter the trials we face in believing in God and all of His promises He walks gently beside us through our times of disbelief and doubt, desiring for us to reach out and ask for help when we have trouble trusting in His goodness.  The trials we face of unbelief help us to rely more upon our Lord, and ultimately the times we stumble make the triumphs in faith so much sweeter, increasing our strength on our faith journey towards sainthood.

“Faith is to believe what you do not see; the reward of this faith is to see what you believe. –St. Augustine

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Nathalie Shultz is a joyful convert to the Catholic faith and a competitive swimmer with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD).  She loves to share her passion for Catholicism with others, including her conversion story and how God continues to work miracles in her life through her OCD.  Nathalie is married to her best friend, Tommy Shultz. Her favorite saints include St. Peter the Apostle, St. Teresa of Calcutta, and St. John Paul II. She is also a huge fan of C.S. Lewis. If you have any questions for Nathalie, or just want her to pray for you, you can email her at ignitedinchristnacc@gmail.com.

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One Foot in Front of the Other

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I’ve struggled to reflect on today’s readings without oversharing. So this is your fair warning, this post is not “Facebook” photo ready. It is about the day to day struggle to live a life of faith. I share this with my husband’s blessing. 

My husband’s job was “downsized” and my second job was restructured. The result is that within just a few months, we went from three salaries to living on one Catholic School teacher salary. Financial insecurity is part of our lives right now. 

We know we are in a better position than so many and are grateful for every gift we have, but nonetheless, there is no denying we have entered a lean time. At an age when we thought we would be gliding towards retirement, we are plodding along, paycheck to paycheck. 

It may not always be pretty, but there is so much for us to learn at this time. The readings have been speaking to my heart so directly lately. On Sunday, we heard about Elisha, literally burning up what he owned before following God’s call to attend Elijah. In the Sunday Gospel reading, Jesus had several warnings that when we follow Him, we are to follow and not look back. 

And then In today’s readings, we have Lot’s wife. 

Looking back, bemoaning what was and what we wanted is a human tendency. Our plans, our dreams for the near future have gone up in smoke. I can kind of relate to Lot’s wife, she had to look back just once. There is a pull that makes us want to just shut down and watch the smoke rise from our broken lives. In terms of our faith, this is the push where the rubber hits the road. We have choices. We have to decide either to follow where God leads or look back to what we had planned. (A dear friend is fond of reminding me, man proposes, God disposes). We are so fortunate. Like Lot who fled to Zoar, we have a refuge. Now, it is up to us, we can take shelter and praise God for what is or like Lot’s wife, we can turn back to focus on what was.

That Lot’s wife was turned into a pillar of salt when she looked back is more food for thought. We think of salt as a seasoning, but in times prior to refrigeration, salt was primarily a preservative. In turning back from God’s directions, her choice was literally preserved in salt. Her choice is preserved as a memorial to the fact that we can’t have it both ways. We can’t follow God and hold on to the ways of the world. 

In Matthew 5:13, Jesus says, “You are the salt of the earth.” That’s our calling! We are not to be a pillar of salt but to go out and salt the world with God’s love. How will it be known if we love God? “I give you a new commandment: love one another. This is how all will know that you are my disciples if you have love for one another.” (John 13:34-35). 

St. Gregory of Nyssa, in a treatise on Christian Perfection, draws a relevant connection between our deeds, words, and thoughts. “Thoughts come first, then words, since our words express openly the interior conclusions of the mind. Finally, after thoughts and words, come actions, for our deeds carry out what the mind has conceived.” In Lot’s wife, we see this carried to the extreme. We may not know her words, but we ‘see’ the thoughts of her heart in action as she ignores the angels’ directions and turns back to what was. We see immediately the result as her thought is memorialized in the pillar of salt. 

If I want to live up to Jesus’s call to be the salt of the earth, then even when my nature screams for financial security and a sense of control, I have to choose to trust Jesus completely. If I am going to be a disciple of Jesus, if I want to see him calm the sea and still the waves, then I cannot shrink back from the storm. 

So, if life isn’t quite as calm and peaceful as you’d like, if you are struggling to let go of what was or what you wanted, please know you are not alone. I get it! I understand that push and pull struggle between wanting my way and desiring desperately to be all in with Jesus. It’s hard! Jesus is with you…and the Holy Spirit. It hasn’t been that long since Pentecost when we celebrated because the Holy Spirit was sent to strengthen us. He is a real and present help in refocusing our thoughts which will be expressed in our words and lived in our deeds. Even when God feels far away and like life is just putting one step in front of the other on a journey we didn’t choose, He’s there. When the walk is hard, when we are in the lean times, when the path doesn’t seem to make sense, we still get to choose whether to be the salt of the earth or to be a memorial in salt. We get to keep walking and as we walk, we follow the one who calms the sea and controls the wind. If we are going to radical followers of a radical God, we can’t stay focused back towards what we thought we wanted, we need to orient our lives upward to God and then outward, through Him to others. So keep going! You are a beloved child of the One who rules the waves. You can do this. We can do this. 

Today’s Psalm sums it up, what we are to do when we hit rough terrain. When we just need to keep going with our heart focused on God:

“But I walk in integrity; redeem me and have mercy on me. My foot stands on level ground; in the assemblies, I will bless the Lord.” 

May God continue to bless you, wherever you are walking! We are praying for you!

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If you catch Sheryl sitting still, you are most likely to find her nose stuck in a book. It may be studying with her husband, Tom as he goes through Diaconate Formation,  trying to stay one step ahead of her 5th and 6th-grade students at St Rose of Lima Catholic School or figuring out a new knitting or quilting pattern. 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.