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What Does It Cost?

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“Without cost you have received, without cost you are to give” (Mark 10:8b). Gratitude. Humility. Thankful. Sacrifice. Share. Prayer. Authority. Heal. These are all words that come to my mind as I read the Gospel. And I ponder what I have received without cost. 

And then it hits me. Everything I have I have received without cost. How can I say that? On the surface it does not seem to make sense. I, like most people, regularly trade my time and talents for money; it is called work, career, or ministry. Our talents and time though, are gifts that we received from God Most High. We can choose to put those at His service and for the good of others. 

I often find myself at odds with the second part of the verse, “without cost you are to give.” In fact, I can spend lots of time thinking about how much it costs me to give. How much does it cost me to give love, care, concern, kindness, mercy? It costs as much as I want to believe it costs. 

When I remember that all I have received has been without cost then I can give without counting the cost. But when I start to tally up when I have given and what I want in return, I am not the person God created me to be or the person I want to be. Does that ever happen to you? 

During this season of Advent, it is a good time to reflect on what we have received. Make a list. It can include intangibles like faith and hope, people you love, your talents, material goods, where you live. Try not to judge your list. Then, each day, pray for a few people from your list, ask God to help you grow in a talent or use material things for His glory. 

It is not easy to give without cost but that is what we are asked to do. The Incarnation, which is upon us, is the beginning of Jesus giving to us. By virtue of that gift, we receive salvation. My prayer is for us to embrace the gift of salvation that we have received and share it with others by the way we live our lives without counting the cost.

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Deanna G. Bartalini, is a Catholic writer, speaker, educator and retreat leader. She is the founder of the LiveNotLukewarm.com community, a place to inform, engage and inspire your Catholic faith through interactive Bible studies, courses and book clubs. Her weekly podcast, NotLukewarmPodcast.com, gives you tips and tools to live out your faith. At DeannaBartalini.com  she writes about whatever is on her mind at the moment.

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Enlighten the Eyes

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The imagery in today’s readings reflect the joyful promise of what is to come at the end of Advent.

The reading from Isaiah tells of the deaf hearing, the blind seeing, no more tyrants, the arrogant gone as well as those who want to do evil. The people who make errors in spirit get understanding and others who point out faults receive instruction. What a wonder-filled world this would be!

The Gospel has two blind men asking Jesus to heal them. The men are healed, their eyes opened according to their faith in Jesus as Lord. Yet Jesus warned them not to tell about this miracle.

The two previously blind men literally and physically experienced an epiphany. The First Reading also describes an epiphany. The text illustrates how divine insight obliterates darkness. It brings light to the prophet Isaiah’s vision of dwelling in the house of our Lord.

I am also reminded however that a sudden burst of light or insight can also create blindness. My eyes or mind need time to adjust to the brightness. How many times have I stumbled into something right in front of me or into situations where my awareness had been shrouded in the dark. Then all of a sudden l find that I am smack dab in the middle of something that is potentially destructive to myself or worse yet, in a ripple or tidal wave effect to others.
The season of Advent allows me the time to adjust to the coming of Jesus’ divine light. I need to be intentional as I reflect during this Advent time of preparation and waiting. I must try to become aware of the things my eyes, my conscience and thought process don’t, can’t or refuse to see.

O Divine Light, please fill my mind, my heart, my subconscious. Illumine the situations I need to see. Help me let go of each area to be enlightened with your love and guidance. Allow me to adjust to the obstacles before me so that I may have nothing to be ashamed of when I come before you. Grant me the grace to be a light for others to come to know the glory and joy of your kingdom. Amen.

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Beth Price is part of the customer care team at Diocesan. She is a Secular Franciscan (OFS) and a practicing spiritual director. Beth shares smiles, prayers, laughter, a listening ear and her heart with all of creation. Reach her here bprice@diocesan.com.

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Doing God’s Will

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Every now and again, we hear something in Scripture, as in our Gospel today, that reminds us to not just listen, but act. We need to be doers of the Word, not just hearers, as St. James says (James 1:22). Easy, right? It seems that way, but we have to recognize that this is something Jesus thought was worth emphasizing to His own listeners. It would be worthwhile to look at exactly how we can carry out this admonition.

We first need to listen. Notice that Christ praises the one who “listens to these words of mine and acts on them” (Matt. 7:24). There is a difference between listening and merely hearing. I noticed this recently in my own life. I had been preventing myself from listening. While engaged in conversation, I found myself either passively doing something else, like listening to a podcast, or paying just enough attention to be able to repeat what the other person said, but no more. I heard what was being said, but I did not internalize, process, or integrate it.

For me, this was because I was not paying enough attention, dropping both my external and internal distractions in order to be a true listener. As part of this process, I have begun to return to conversations in my down time, reflecting on what was asked of me and how I can implement it. For example, if my spouse or friend expresses a desire to go camping soon, how can I take concrete steps to make it a reality, rather than simply agreeing before moving on with my own concerns?

Christ asks us to listen. That means during Mass and while meditating on the Word, we must eliminate those distractions within our power: our thoughts of errands, our cell phones, noise. With distractions minimized, we can be receptive and attentive, which takes its own kind of energy. Then, we ought to return to the Word throughout the day, perhaps during the time that we’d normally be scrolling social media or letting our mind wander. What does it really mean, and how can we carry it out in our lives?

This will help us to listen, but then we need to act. How do we do God’s will? It’s a good step to do our own reflection on the readings at Mass and read Scripture consistently. Things like the Homily and the lives and writings of the saints can be helpful here as well. It’s good to see how others are making God’s Word practical, especially when those others are now praising Him in heaven.

Once we have listened to and reflected upon the meaning of the Word, we should actually do it. Understanding what to do is not quite doing God’s will; we need to make a practical plan. What concrete things will we do, today or this week, to make Christ’s words a reality? How will we turn the most significant resolutions into consistent, lasting practices? Who can help us do this?

The only thing left, then, is to start doing. Let us pray that the Lord will give us the grace to listen, understand, and act.

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David Dashiell is a freelance writer, editor, and proofreader based in the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania area. His writing has been featured in Crisis Magazine and The Imaginative Conservative, and his editing is done for a variety of publishers, such as Sophia Institute and Scepter. He can be reached at ddashiellwork@gmail.com.

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Long for Advent

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Ah, the early days of Advent and a new liturgical year. There is so much anticipation in the air of the great upcoming feast, the Solemnity of the Nativity of the Lord. Our Church is brimming with hope as we, her people – the Body of Christ – ready our hearts for the coming of the Lord Jesus at Christmas. 

Advent serves a two-fold purpose for us. I just mentioned the first as a time of remembrance of Jesus’ birth at Christmas, but that’s not the only one. Advent is also a time for us to turn our hearts and prepare for His second coming at the end of time. 

We see themes of hope and longing, repentance and preparation during this liturgical season. We celebrate a Sunday of joy in Gaudete Sunday. There is so much that the season of Advent can do for our spiritual lives if we fully embrace and enter into these next few weeks, and that could be its own separate blog post. 

Let’s take a look at the theme of longing, though, through the eyes of today’s First Reading. The Book of the prophet Isaiah is laden with prophecies of the coming Messiah in addition to many words about how much the people of Israel long for said Messiah. With that being said, Isaiah is a frequent flier in the Mass readings during Advent and today’s First Reading is no different. 

Everything that is spoken about in the First Reading points to Jesus Christ as the long-awaited Messiah. The mountain on which he “will destroy the veil that veils all people” and on which he “will destroy death forever” points toward Golgotha, the place where Jesus was crucified. The veil of the temple was indeed torn in two when Jesus became triumphant over death and opened the gates of Heaven for us all. It is that same crucified body that he offers us in the Eucharist – his whole Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity – which points toward the feast of rich foods and choice wines. There is truly no better food for our souls than the Eucharist. 

How can longing direct your Advent? Are you longing for consumerism, for the things of this world or are you longing for the Lord? How will you act on your longings? Turn them over to the Lord as you prepare your heart and make room for Jesus in this holy season. 

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Erin Madden is a Cleveland native and graduate of Franciscan University of Steubenville. She is passionate about the Lord Jesus, all things college sports and telling stories and she is blessed enough to get paid for all three of her passions. You can catch her on old episodes of the Clarence & Peter Podcast on YouTube as well as follow her on Twitter@erinmadden2016.

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Beautiful Feet: They Could Be Yours

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In today’s First Reading St. Paul refers to a verse from the great prophet who accompanies us through every Advent: the prophet Isaiah (flourished 8th century B.C., Jerusalem): How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news….

The entire verse found in the book of Isaiah reads this way:

Therefore my people shall know my name
    on that day, that it is I who speaks: Here I am!
How beautiful upon the mountains
    are the feet of the one bringing good news,
Announcing peace, bearing good news,
    announcing salvation, saying to Zion,
    “Your God is King!” (Isaiah 52:6-7)

Those beautiful feet that Isaiah envisions came running to me in a restaurant parking lot last week where our family was gathering for a final meal before we placed mom in memory care in a facility where we could visit her daily. I was walking alone. “Hey, sister, is school out today?” a woman called out cheerfully. I laughed and shared with her the sorrow that was in my heart. “That is so hard,” she responded. “I promise you my prayers. I always ask God to take my body before my mind.” Then she continued with a mischievous smile, “But I tell my kids, don’t be afraid to put me in a nursing home at the end. If I have my mind it will be my last chance to evangelize. If I don’t have my mind I won’t know anyway.” Then she surrounded me with a great hug before going on her way.

“Beautiful feet…”

In the last meeting we had with the administrator on the previous day, she had said to my dad, “You have cared for your wife with great love till now. We are here to help you now. But in the end, even though we think we are the ones caring for her, we are the ones responsible, it is really God who is caring for her. God who is responsible for her. We are all just helpers.”

“Beautiful feet…”

Those who bring us the good news have beautiful feet because they are partnering with God to bring joy and salvation to others. Those feet that are actively moving about represent the way the Gospel reaches us in surprising places, through unexpected people, in exactly the right moment to assure us of God’s presence and God’s protection and God’s tender love for us.

Therefore my people shall know my name
    on that day, that it is I who speaks: Here I am! (v. 6)

Today is the feast of St Andrew and we celebrate liturgically the calling of this great apostle who in his turn became the beautiful feet that announced the good news to any and all who would listen. 

You, too, can be the one who in beautiful ways brings the good news to someone else, in a parking lot, in a meeting, in a moment of confusion or sorrow or grief. 

At some times you will be the one who announces the news that God says through you, “Here I am!” At other times you will be the one who receives the message of God reaching out to you through someone else. God whispered quietly in my heart, “You know, Kathryn, I love your mom too.” I had to let her go and give her to God’s very capable hands and hide her in his heart. 

So I end with this Advent reminder: Every year Advent and Christmas is a relearning that God is saying HERE I AM! We have a month to receive this message into our very bones so that we can in the new year be the beautiful ones who carry this message to others throughout the coming year. Or maybe someone needs your beautiful feet to find them today.

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Sr. Kathryn J. HermesKathryn James Hermes, FSP, is the author of the newly released title: Reclaim Regret: How God Heals Life’s Disappointments, by Pauline Books and Media. An author and spiritual mentor, she offers spiritual accompaniment for the contemporary Christian’s journey towards spiritual growth and inner healing. She is the director of My Sisters, where people can find spiritual accompaniment from the Daughters of St. Paul on their journey. Website: www.touchingthesunrise.com Public Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/srkathrynhermes/ For monthly spiritual journaling guides, weekly podcasts and over 50 conferences and retreat programs join my Patreon community: https://www.patreon.com/srkathryn.

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No Shortage on Jesus This Christmas

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Yesterday the haunting verses of O Come, O Come Emmanuel were a welcome massage for my heart. Since early October we’ve been warned of supply chain shortages and inflation that threaten ruin to all we hope for the Christmas holidays. Hearing the name of God-with-us cracks open our hearts to receive the light, the Light of the World.

The invitation of this morning’s liturgy redirects our attention from commercial revelations to divine revelation. We almost catch our breath as we hear the nations cry out, Come, let us climb the Lord’s mountain…. The Lord’s mountain will be seen as the highest mountain, according to the vision of the prophet Isaiah, speaking of the final age. Worship of the true God will be so conspicuous that it will be known to all people. The Kingdom established by the Messiah will be so attractive that all people will willingly lay aside the violence at hand to kneel before others in service: They shall beat their swords into plowshares / and their spears into pruning hooks. 

This “mountain” envisioned by Isaiah is presented to us by today’s Gospel reading as a Person, a man with two hands and two feet. The One who doesn’t wait for us to climb the mountain but who instead comes to us who are poor, wretched, made up of a billion needs, dependent. The One whose coming we celebrate at Christmas, and whose coming is so tenderly depicted in the nativity scenes that we’ll soon see in churches and homes.

Jesus says to us, as he said to the centurion in Capernaum who appealed to him for his servant who was paralyzed, “I will come [to you] and heal you.” 

As Christians we can hold on for sure to this promise even in the midst of the storms of these years we’ve lived: Christ has come. Jesus the Christ is here with us today. Christ will come again. The historical situation in which we live cannot rob us of the grace we’ve been given, the grace freely bestowed on us in Christ by the Father.

Take heart, my friends, from the simple words of the centurion in today’s Gospel. A simple, clear, humble statement: Lord, my servant is suffering. Jesus immediately responds: I will come and cure him.

Lord, I am old and worry about my life. I will save you. 

Lord, I am exhausted and suffering. I will come and cure you.

Lord, my children are far from you and from me. I will come and cure them.

Lord, I don’t know where to turn. I will come and hold you.

Lord, I feel alone and depressed. I will come and sit with you.

In the midst of all the struggles, trials and tribulations both in the world and in our lives, it is to the Lord himself this Christmas that we must look, to the God become man who walks among us even today, even now. It is to the Lord, more than any other resource, that we must turn to hear the Advent-Christmas promise: I will come. I have come. I will come again. There will be no shortage of Christ this Christmas.

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Sr. Kathryn J. HermesKathryn James Hermes, FSP, is the author of the newly released title: Reclaim Regret: How God Heals Life’s Disappointments, by Pauline Books and Media. An author and spiritual mentor, she offers spiritual accompaniment for the contemporary Christian’s journey towards spiritual growth and inner healing. She is the director of My Sisters, where people can find spiritual accompaniment from the Daughters of St. Paul on their journey. Website: www.touchingthesunrise.com Public Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/srkathrynhermes/ For monthly spiritual journaling guides, weekly podcasts and over 50 conferences and retreat programs join my Patreon community: https://www.patreon.com/srkathryn.

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Happy New Year!

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Happy New Year! Today is the first day of the new Liturgical Year as well as the first Sunday of Advent. Today we begin our watch. Today we begin to prepare for the birth of our Lord.

The days are short and dark now and for those who live in the northern part of the country they are cold. There’s a beautiful purposefulness in this. The darkness we experience is a reminder of the darkness in the world before Christ was born. The prophet Jeremiah writes during the time the people of Israel and Judah were exiled. The tribes were scattered throughout Babylon and Assyria, taken from their homeland, living with strangers in a strange land. The times were dark and they were far from God. 

But Jeremiah writes with hope. He tells of God fulfilling his promise to the houses of Israel to save them. Jeremiah is prophesying the coming of Jesus, the one who will rescue them from the darkness. They were in a period of waiting just as we too enter a period of waiting during these dark months. 

It can’t be a coincidence that the shortest day of the year – December 21 – is just four days before the birth of Christ, our light. The days will be getting longer as we celebrate his birth. We remember that Jesus came so that we may live. He brought light to the world. 

So we begin this time with a spirit of watchfulness as Jesus commands in the Gospel. He is referring to end times but the attitude required of us is the same. We are reminded that this world is fleeting. This time on earth may be dark. It may have trials and it may be frustrating, but it isn’t permanent. 

Jesus is coming to save us and in the end we can be with him in heaven where the light of God will envelop us in pure love and joy. 

Keep watch this Advent. Start this new year watching and waiting for our Lord and believing in Jeremiah’s words that he is coming to lead us out of the darkness and into the light of his – and our- Father. 

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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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Are You and I Vigilant?

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If you are a regular churchgoer, by now you have noticed the readings are rather dark this time of year. By that, I mean Scripture is speaking to us about End Times. The church asks us to meditate on the Four Last Things: Death, Judgment, Heaven and Hell. Luke is telling us to be vigilant. That is not a word we are used to hearing on a regular basis.

It reminded me of a book that was passed around in our circle of friends about 35 to 40 years ago. I think it was called “Purgatory”. A French priest wrote it and also wrote one on Hell. I got up to page 19 and could go no further. I just couldn’t handle it. It was so condemning! I didn’t know if I could actually get to heaven. The book is mostly private revelation which we are not bound to believe. But, it sure got to me. It seemed like a lot of people were going to purgatory for very minor offenses!

It took me a few years before I could pick it up again and finish the book. Those minor offenses changed with time into ones that I might have been venial sins, but now they bothered me. To enter the Pearly Gates, one must be free of sin. Now, most of us have friends from many different denominations and we find that there are many ideas of what being sin-free means. For some, a simple declaration of faith gives a person a one way ticket straight to heaven. For us Catholics, we believe that we have been saved through baptism, we are being saved now, and we will be saved when Jesus takes us to our eternal home. I am sure you can see the difference.

Remember what Paul said, “I work on my salvation with fear and trembling”. I believe Paul was using the word “work” as to work on not sinning. This ties in with us being vigilant. One way to do that is to guard our senses. All three of our daughters were missionaries for a while and in their faith formation were taught to “guard their senses”. Then they taught it to me. It was and is a great gift. Which of the senses causes you to sin? Eyes, ears, touch smells, etc.? Give it a name and it will be easier to overcome. And guess what? The Lord will help you! Be vigilant!

Have a Blessed Advent.

Serving With Joy!

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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 50 years. They are the parents of eight children and thirty 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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Jesus’ Word

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I have been blessed this year to be a part of a wonderful Bible Study at our parish. In the past few weeks, the group I am helping to facilitate looked more closely at the trustworthiness of the Bible. How do we know what it says is true? Is the Bible applicable to our daily lives? Will the message of the Bible ever “run out” or pass into history like so many other writings?

One of the passages we looked at was today’s Gospel, especially the last verse. “Heaven and earth shall pass away but my words will not pass away.” This is a powerful statement made by Jesus for a number of reasons. 

First, the words and teachings of Jesus are beyond our measure of space. Creation itself will someday pass away. But the words of Jesus will endure even beyond such a time. 

Second, if Jesus’ word is able to exist outside of creation, it is outside of time. It is eternal. The opening verses of John’s Gospel come to mind here. “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God and the Word was God.” Jesus, the Word of God, the Logos in Greek. John understood that before God began to create, Jesus and the Holy Spirit were present. Here is one of the underpinnings for our Trinitarian theology. 

When Jesus tells His followers, “my word will never pass away,” we can see the echoes of it in John’s theology. Jesus’ word is creative, He is making things new. His words can change reality. Think of His many miracles. Jesus commanded storms, disease, even death, with His words. 

If Jesus’ words will never pass away, then they still have bearing and meaning in our present day. Even when it feels like our world is ending, we don’t know where to turn or what will come next, Jesus’ word is steady and sure. 

The Bible is God’s eternal Word, written down for our benefit. When we take the time to study it, to pray with it, to listen to it, Jesus speaks to our hearts. 

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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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Thankful in All Things

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Today many of us will gather together with our loved ones for the first time in nearly two years. So many holidays have passed with us visiting on a screen or through a window, and I’m sure, like me, you are very grateful to be together finally. Even if you are apart from your family, there is still so much to be thankful for today. Instead of allowing bitterness to foster for the lost time, we can embrace the hope in the words of Sirach, “May he grant you joy of heart and may peace abide among you” (50:22-24). Although a more challenging response, we can see this as a blessing and an awakening to the many things we’ve learned to take for granted.

For instance, do we genuinely recognize the privilege that receiving the Eucharist—which means thanksgiving—truly is? After years of joining the Communion line, I have to confess I take this miraculous invitation for granted. Jesus humbled himself to become consumable in the Eucharist, yet does our behavior indicate how honored we are to participate in this unfathomable mystery? We become a temple for the Holy Spirit; we receive within us the body, blood, soul, and divinity of our Lord Jesus Christ. 

During the pandemic, I developed a holy longing for the Eucharist. I’m grateful for that experience because I needed the shake-up, to see my faith in the True Presence tested and reignited.  I admit to growing complacent, expectant, and in some ways, even entitled. None of which is the proper disposition for someone about to become a living Tabernacle for the Prince of Peace, the Word of God made flesh, the Messiah, the Savior of the World. An unmatched encounter with Jesus Christ, the Son of the Living God, dwelling within me, utterly unworthy of this privilege, yet from a place of pure love, He comes under the guise of bread and wine.

The Gospel Proclamation for Thanksgiving Day reads, “Rejoice always, pray constantly, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you” (1 Thessalonians 5: 16-18). Do you recall in the last 20 months rejoicing always as you prayed without ceasing? Did you give thanks for what God was or would do in your circumstances while acknowledging, accepting, and trusting in His will for you? St. Paul reveals, “that in everything God works for good with those who love him, who are called according to his purpose.”  So, how do we show our love?  Simply through praise, surrender, and participation in the faith, He has given us.

Every relationship requires perseverance, dedication, and steadfastness to remain healthy and strong as we navigate life. Whether together or apart, in sickness or health, and times of bounty or sacrifice. When all is calm and bright, or when the fog clouds our view. Give thanks and praise, trust in the good God does, and the blessings yet to come. Cast aside doubts, disappointment, and bitterness, especially on this day of Thanksgiving. Embrace the promises of Christ, especially his love and mercy, which abound for all of us, and be thankful. 

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Allison Gingras works for WINE: Women In the New Evangelization as National WINE Steward of the Virtual Vineyard. She is a Social Media Consultant for the Diocese of Fall River and CatholicMom.com. She is a writer, speaker, and podcaster, who founded ReconciledToYou.com and developed the Stay Connected Journals for Catholic Women (OSV).   

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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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Prepare for Battle

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This week we have occasion to think of the end of time. Immediately, Jesus’ words in the Gospels are referring to the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem in AD 70. Think of the phrase, “this generation will not pass away until all these things have taken place” from Luke 21:32, read two days from now. While the destruction of the Temple is the historical context of these Gospel readings, the saints have also interpreted these words as prophetic, speaking of the end of time.

We are reminded to be vigilant and rely on the strength of the Holy Spirit. This theme of readiness will continue throughout Advent. Christ is coming in the flesh, and we must do penance and prepare our hearts to receive Him joyfully. He is also coming at the end of time to judge the world, and we ought to be ready to be judged.

These themes in our Gospels this week (persecution, conflict, readiness) also remind us of the conflict we can expect well before the end comes. “Do not think that I have come to bring peace upon the earth. I have come to bring not peace but the sword. For I have come to set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; and one’s enemies will be those of his household.” (Matt. 10:34–36). “You will be hated by all because of my name, but whoever endures to the end will be saved” (Matt. 10:22). “Many are the troubles of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him from them all” (Psalm 34:20).

Following Christ is not supposed to be easy (although we are promised comfort in our afflictions many times). Often, readings like these make us wonder if we’re really living up to God’s call. If we were, surely we’d be more afflicted, specifically for our faith. Or at least we’d experience more struggles in general.

Our First Reading reminds us that often, more is expected of us. King Belshazzar was not only idolatrous; he was sacrilegious. He mistreated the sacred vessels of the Lord. How often do we think about things like that? Reverencing the sacred — sacred vessels, a sacred space in the home, sacred time (the liturgical year). All have a place in the Christian life.

While we may not be constantly afflicted for following Christ, it should give us pause if we do not occasionally experience the conflict He mentions. Are we really letting the Faith permeate our lives? There are a number of cultural religious practices that have fallen out of favor in the past millennium, not to mention the basics of Christian life. Few would think it strange that you go to Mass, receive the sacraments, and pray regularly; many would think it strange if you celebrated feast days in the home, used sacramentals like holy water and blessed salt, and fasted or sacrificed regularly.

Regardless of the specifics, the fact remains that many of us ought to be doing more to let God’s Kingdom permeate our lives. It should be visible to others, so much so that those who are not prepared for it resist. We should be prepared for battle, both now and through to the end of time. Frequent, fervent Christian practices will accomplish this.

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David Dashiell is a freelance writer, editor, and proofreader based in the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania area. His writing has been featured in Crisis Magazine and The Imaginative Conservative, and his editing is done for a variety of publishers, such as Sophia Institute and Scepter. He can be reached at ddashiellwork@gmail.com.

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Praise and Exalt Him

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In today’s Psalm, we hear the phrase “praise and exalt Him above all forever.” 

Our lives can get pretty busy. From work, to family, to running a household, to everything we need to do on a daily basis, we often forget to spend time with God and praise and exalt Him. And sometimes, even if we don’t intend to, we put other things above Him. 

What would our lives look like if we followed the words of that Psalm every single day? We would undoubtedly feel more joy. We would feel at peace. Our relationship with Christ would be stronger. And we would grow spiritually.

So how do we implement this Psalm in our lives? 

First, we must pray. Prayer is not something we should do just before bed or at Mass. In order for it to be an integral part of our lives, prayer must be something we do many times throughout the day. We wake up, and we pray. We see something beautiful, and we say a prayer of thanks. We look at our children, our spouse, or a friend, and we thank God for blessing our lives with them. We encounter something irritating or bothersome, and we say a prayer thanking God for being there with us. We suffer, and we offer it up for others, giving praise to God even during the difficult times. When we make praising God a regular part of our day—even for just a few minutes here and there—we will see our attitude change. We will feel happier. And, in turn, we will act happier.

Next, we must continually learn about our faith. We can listen to Catholic podcasts, read books, study Scripture, go to Bible study classes, or watch religious programming. No matter which combination of these we do, our lives will become richer, we will feel closer to God, and our relationship with Him will be strengthened.

In addition, we must surround ourselves with people who exude the joy of Christ. And we must strive to be more like them. Maybe this is a friend, a parent, or a grandparent. Choose someone you want to emulate, and then examine how they act and what they do. Then follow in their footsteps. For me, this is my mom. She has a quiet joy about her—a peace. She proudly stands up for what she believes in, she never stops learning, and she is one of the kindest people I know. Choosing one special person to emulate will make your life richer and will help you focus on praising God more frequently.  

God wants to be close to us. He loves us more than we can ever know. That is why we must put Him first—always and everywhere. 

When we surround ourselves with holy people, when we pray, and when we continually learn about our faith, we can’t help but glorify God in all we do.

Contact the author

Susan Ciancio has a BA in psychology and a BA in sociology from the University of Notre Dame, with an MA in liberal studies from Indiana University. For the past 17 years, she has worked as a professional editor and writer, editing both fiction and nonfiction books, magazine articles, blogs, educational lessons, professional materials and website content. Eleven of those years have been in the pro-life sector. Currently Susan freelances and writes weekly for HLI, edits for American Life League, and is the editor of Celebrate Life Magazine. She also serves as executive editor for the Culture of Life Studies Program-an educational nonprofit program for K-12 students.

Feature Image Credit: Jornada Mundial de la Juventud, https://www.cathopic.com/photo/13057-rosario-mano