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Driven By Desire…For What?

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What gets you out of bed before dawn?

We push ourselves beyond our superficial comforts for things that we value. Some people seem to focus on fun or competition and stay up late gaming. Some value their health or appearance, so they push themselves to get up early and exercise. Some prioritize learning and burn the midnight oil to read or study. Some people see their duty to family or friends as a value, so they push themselves beyond their need for rest or recreation to serve their needs. In each of these scenarios, a different value drives a person to stretch themselves.

What drives you?

What drives Jesus?

 “Rising very early before dawn, he left and went off to a deserted place, where he prayed.”

We are all busy, and prayer can seem like “one more thing” that we can’t find time to do. Can we be as busy as Jesus was? He had just taught in the synagogue, left (maybe hoping for some rest) and healed Simon’s mother-in-law, and found himself faced with many people in need – some ill, some possessed, no doubt some who just wanted a word of encouragement. This began after sunset, so it seems he did not get a full night’s sleep.

And yet, he rose before the sun to seek out some silence and solitude. Why?

Jesus is always driven by the same thing: the Father. He does the will of the Father (Jn 6:38). He says what the Father tells him to say (Jn 12:49). He does the works he sees the Father doing (Jn 5:17-19, 14:10). He needs to be in communication with the Father, in solitude, to know the Father’s will and to do it perfectly (Matt 14:23, 26:36; Mk 1:35, 6:46; Lk 3:21, 5:16, 9:18, 11:1) .

Surely, his whole life was prayer, because he was always seeking to please the Father. And yet it is recorded for us in the very Gospels that Jesus went away from the work in order to pray. It’s stunning, isn’t it? The Son of God, the Second Person of the Trinity, the Word Incarnate, as man, must seek out actual times of solitude to PRAY, to be in union with the Father, to listen to the Voice of God.

When do you pray? Before dawn? At mealtimes? When you can? Can you never?

Does seeking the loving Face of the Father drive us to set aside times of prayer each day? Each year, I resolve to be more faithful to my daily prayer, and this year is no different! How well will I keep this resolution this year? How about you? No matter how well you are able to walk with Jesus and spend time with him each day, it seems certain that this world would benefit from an even greater commitment to prayer in 2021.

May God bless you abundantly.

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

Feature Image Credit: Timothy Eberly, https://unsplash.com/photos/47A2MPzrSi4

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Childlike Awe

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As a working mom, I make it a point to spend individual time with each of my kids as often as I can. They take turns having mommy “dates” and treasure their time with me just as much as I do with them. And although our one-on-ones often include a trip to the grocery store or the thrift shop, they get to chatter away telling me about whatever suits their fancy. These days, it’s usually either Legos or soccer. 

It’s so refreshing amid life’s calamities to spend time with children. No matter what stresses are thrown your way, you can’t help but smile at their antics, their silliness and even their mischief. Just the other day, I was fretting about some ongoing issues we are dealing with and my son just started singing his own version of “Fa-La-La-La-La” in the back seat. His words were more like “Fa-La-La-La-La-Dah-Doo-Dee-DOWN!” After we sang that together for a while we changed it to “Fa-La-La-La-Dah-Doo-Dee-UP!” and had ourselves a good laugh.

I wonder if we saw things through the eyes of children we would be more astonished at Christ’s teachings as the people were in today’s Gospel… “for he taught them as one having authority and not as the scribes.” As parents we have authority over our children, but do we truly comprehend the authority of God? I think many times we don’t or perhaps we simply don’t think about it. 

Where is that sense of awe and wonder at reading His word? Does His fame spread everywhere this day in age because we, those who believe in Him, are speaking with others about Him in sheer amazement? Do we believe that he can drive out any “unclean spirits” that might plague us, whether they be unfortunate events, impure thoughts or unkind words?  

I find it interesting that the unclean spirit was able to proclaim with such certainty that Jesus was the Holy One of God. What about us, those of us who try our best to live good lives and grow in our faith. Can we proclaim with certainty “I know who you are – the Holy One of God!”? Do we know who God is? Can we even fathom His holiness? 

With prayer and quiet time we can definitely experience glimpses of these concepts this side of heaven. When we allow child-like simplicity instead of adult complicatedness to enter our souls we can begin to grasp His grandeur. When we turn our hearts to praise and gratitude we can begin to know who He is. 

Today let us exclaim with the Psalmist: “O Lord, our Lord, how glorious is your name over all the earth!”

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Tami Urcia 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 her parish, 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.

Feature Image Credit: Kayan Baby, https://unsplash.com/photos/5xGMUBRJUq0

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Come Follow Me

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 Today we read about the day that Christ called to Simon and Andrew, saying: “Come after me, and I will make you into fishers of people.”

Christ called to these men, and they immediately dropped what they were doing to follow Him. His command was that compelling. 

Imagine looking upon the face of Jesus as He beckons you. Imagine hearing His voice tell you to come. What an immense gift those men were given.

We don’t have the benefit of a flesh-and-blood Jesus standing in front of us commanding us to follow Him. We cannot hear His voice directly tell us what He wants. Yet, His command to us is the same as the command He gave to those men 2,000 years ago. He calls us each by name to follow Him. He tells us we are His. Why? Simply put, He loves us. And His love for us is so immense that we can only fathom it. God longs for us to drop everything and to run to Him, proclaiming His goodness and vowing to give everything we have to serve Him. He longs for us to show this joy to others so that they, too, can see His glory.

However, we know that this is easier said than done, especially in today’s world. Sometimes we find that life gets in the way. Our jobs, the little things we must do to keep a household running, even our families—all these things are blessings in and of themselves, but they can also serve as distractions. These things can keep us from dropping everything and running to the arms of the Lord—even metaphorically. And they can keep us from teaching others about Christ’s goodness and mercy. 

Yet God is always there gently reminding us that He has called us and that we are to be fishers of men, just like the Apostles. He wants each and every one of us to bravely and proudly follow Him and to lead our families, our neighbors, and those in our community to Him. 

We must always remember that being a fisher of men is an important part of our faith, for we were not meant to hide our faith away. We were not meant to pray in isolation. We were not meant to simply go to Mass once a week and do nothing else for God. We are called to model Christ’s love and to be examples to others. It is by these actions that we will lead others to Christ, and it is our inner joy that will attract others. When we heed the call to truly follow Christ and to serve Him in all we do, we will indeed fulfill His calling to be fishers of men. 

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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: Gonzalo Gutierrez, https://www.cathopic.com/photo/16867-sigueme

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Do We Recognize Him?

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Do We Recognize Him?

 For all the laughs and humor, Jim Carrey’s Bruce Almighty manages to incorporate important and authentic theological themes within the levity of his comedic performance.

One of my favorites is something I’ll call the “God’s presence in the impoverished” theme. Throughout the film, there is a homeless man. He appears just as you might expect a destitute person to dress: dirt-stained face, loose-fitting clothing, and a somber countenance to complete the ensemble. It is not until the final frame that this man is revealed to be Christ/A Divine Figure.

I was reminded of this as I read the Gospel:

For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they said,
‘He is possessed by a demon.’
The Son of Man came eating and drinking and they said,
‘Look, he is a glutton and a drunkard,
a friend of tax collectors and sinners.‘

Matthew 11:18-19

Do we recognize Him?

Bruce at the beginning of his journey and the children in this parable surely do not. In their perception, Christ does not appear or behave as they might expect. In fact, in both stories the main character looks with contempt upon Christ.

“I really only love God as much as the person I love the least.”

-Dorothy Day

Ms. Day does not mince words. And I love that. She speaks the truth clearly.

Do we recognize Him?

Sometimes, loving a person who is monetarily impoverished is easier than loving a person who is spiritually impoverished.

A patient smile may be more difficult to give than a dollar. A family member or close friend who is impoverished in the charity of kindness can be far more challenging to love than a stranger begging for scraps on the street.

Do we recognize Him?

During the week, Matthew Juliano is a mentor for individuals who have developmental and intellectual disabilities. He has started a Youtube Series that explains and raises awareness about the work he does, which can be found HERE. On the weekends, he is a drummer for Full Armor Band. You can find more content by Matt and his band at www.fullarmorband.com.

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God’s Delay is not God’s Denial

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My mom has always told me “God’s delay is not God’s denial”. The readings today reminded me of her and I thought about how true that saying is in our daily lives but especially during Advent.

Today in the readings we hear of God’s promises to Monoah and his wife and to Zechariah and Elizabeth that, despite their old age, they will conceive and bear a son. He tells the future parents that their sons will be “consecrated to God from the womb” and “great in the sight of the Lord”. Samson will be the one to begin the deliverance of Israel; John the one who turns the minds and hearts of the people of Israel to the Lord their God.  Both men pave the path for the birth of Christ and anticipate His coming to deliver us from our sins.

In the time of Zechariah and Elizabeth, children were a sign of God’s faithfulness. Because they did not have children, Zechariah and Elizabeth were thought to be out of favor with God. When the angel appeared to Zechariah to tell him that Elizabeth would bear a son, he did not believe the angel. Because of his disbelief, Zechariah was mute until immediately after the birth of John. Israel was waiting for the Messiah; Zechariah and Elizabeth for a son. God showed his faithfulness to them in His own timing with a son who would help prepare Israel for the coming of the Messiah.

Zechariah’s consequence for his disbelief as well as his joyfulness at the birth of his son teaches us the joy that comes about when we allow God to do His Will in our lives. Advent is all about waiting, in prayerful hope, for the birth of Christ, his Resurrection, and our eventual unity with Him in Heaven. In the same way, Israel awaited their deliverance and John and Elizabeth awaited the birth of their son, in this beautiful season of hopeful anticipation may we put our faith in the Lord, trust His timing, and surrender to His Will. May our hearts be filled with joy and hope this Advent!

Dakota currently lives in Denver, CO, is studying for her Master’s in Spanish, and loves her job as an elementary school librarian. She is engaged to the love of her life, Ralph. In her spare time she reads, goes to breweries, and watches baseball. Dakota’s favorite saints are St. John Paul II (how could it not be?) and St. José Luis Sánchez del Río. She is passionate about her faith and considers herself blessed at any opportunity to share that faith with others.

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Give Comfort to my People

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Isaiah’s beautiful passage is full of meaning. After a long and dark exile in Babylon, God directs Isaiah to tell His people that it is almost over. God will be there to expiate their sins, bring them out of captivity and “give comfort.” I love this reading.  Throughout all of human history, there have been periods of great trial. We look for comfort and do not find it. We look for a way out and do not find it. We stumble our way through life, looking for a path forward, and do not find it.

Perhaps we are looking in the wrong places.

Advent is the beautiful season of anticipation of the Lord’s coming. Have we not yet realized that this four-week season is our path out of darkness? If only we would open our eyes and see. See that the comfort we long for can be ours if we pay attention to God’s call to meet his Son and to see our way forward.

There is so much, today that I hate about Advent. It has become the season of shopping and gross consumerism. Pay attention to the ads. “The Twelve Days shopping at (name of store here).” Or, the “Twelve Gifts of Christmas at (name of store here).” We are bombarded from even before Halloween. I have disagreements with my family and friends about the real “Twelve Days of Christmas”…which should be the Evening of Dec. 24th through Epiphany. This is the Christmas Season. Not October 15th – December 25th, and then it’s all over. Trees are on the curbs; decoration disappear from the stores and our home, parties are suspended — I find this to be so sad, and personally, very troubling. Rush here, rush there; check off our list of items to be purchased; make everything equal so as not to offend anyone; outdoing each other in outdoor decorations and lights. Oh my! Where is Jesus in all of this? He is buried somewhere under the packages! And no, he will not appear to us on our doorstep in an Amazon package. Jesus must be welcomed into our hearts. Only we can make that happen.

Isaiah wants us to know that the darkness of this time of year is not lost on the date set for the celebration of the Incarnation. The long and dark days of winter are lit by the Light of Christ coming into the world. It should mean to us, if we pay attention, that our personal exiles can be ended by the comfort of the coming of Christ, here to lead us to safety. This season of anticipation also teaches us that Christ stays with us. His life from manger to grave to resurrection – or lives from birth to death to eternal glory.

If you haven’t yet started, I encourage you to begin the journey to Christmas with a heart to knowing Jesus better, to welcome him into your homes and families with the attention he deserves. Christmas will be a much more beautiful celebration for you. God loves you. He sent his Son to light your way. He gives comfort.

“The day of the Lord is near: behold, he comes to save us.”

God Bless.

Jeanne Penoyar, an Accounts Manager here at Diocesan, is currently a Lector at St. Anthony of Padua parish in Grand Rapids, MI. While at St. Thomas the Apostle, Grand Rapids, Jeanne was a Lector, Cantor, Coordinator of Special Liturgies, Coordinator of lectors and, at one time, chair of the Liturgy Commission. In a past life, secretary/bookkeeper at the Basilica of St. Adalbert where she ran the RCIA program for the Steepletown parishes. And she loves to write! When relaxing, she likes reading and word puzzles. You can contact her at jpenoyar@diocesan.com.

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Rise Up

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We apologize. We sent the wrong post yesterday. This is the correct post for yesterday. We will send the post for today shortly. God Bless!

As I write this blog, it is my first day back to work after being out sick for 2 whole days. It’s that time of year where students are coughing, sniffling, and teachers are catching every germ quickly! In Today’s Readings, I feel a closeness with the paralyzed man. It’s humbling to be sick, to need and rely on others. It contains a type of weakness that is truly uncomfortable. Personally, I stayed in my room in bed for the past 48 hours… I didn’t want to spread germs with my roommates and I didn’t have the energy to do anything. I can’t help but think of how this paralyzed man must have felt! He is being carried to Jesus and unable to make it through the crowd. Lucky for him, he’s got some amazing people in his life. The friends or family or whoever was carrying him on his cot decided not to stop and go back home. They didn’t give up and say, “Sorry, you can’t see Jesus. There’s no way we’d be able to get through the crowd.” Nope, they literally carried their paralyzed friend to the top of the roof of where Jesus was. They carried him and lowered him on his stretcher so that he could be in front of Jesus. Seriously, what incredible friends.

As the story continues, Jesus didn’t encounter him and automatically heal his disability. He began with a different healing, the forgiveness of his sins! This was automatically the first thing Jesus did when he saw the faith of this man! The Pharisees questioned him internally. It states, Jesus “knew their thoughts and said in reply, “What are you thinking in your hearts? Which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven’ or to say, ‘Rise and walk’? But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.” Exactly after this statement, he looks upon the sick and paralyzed man and commands, “I say to you, rise, pick up your stretcher, and go home.”

I don’t know about all of you, but at this moment I just want to jump up with my fist in the air and scream out to Jesus in full support. “YES, YOU GO JESUS! YOU TELL EM AND SHOW EM!” Jesus doesn’t just talk the talk, but ALWAYS follows through. In this intense moment that he has come to forgive sins- because He is God and He CAN. He doesn’t stop there, he heals his illness in a split second. He tells him to rise… I love that word. It’s commonly used by Jesus in special moments like this in Scripture. For me, this word gives warmth and tenderly leads me to keep going. It calls me to get up when I have fallen, to move, and to simply continue. Sometimes that can be hard, especially if you’re sick in bed. I don’t mean just physical illness, but spiritual as well. As human beings we are made body and soul, both are vital and important to who we are as sons and daughters of God. You could be sick from the cycle and chains of sin, sick with a physical or mental disease, or sick and weary trying in your journey of holiness. We can all relate to this man, even if we are not physically constrained to a stretcher. At least, I know I can.

There are a few points Jesus wants our hearts to know this day. First, we are all ill and in need of our Divine Healer. No matter how perfect life may seem, we all truly need healing in one aspect or another. I’m sure we can all agree on that! Second, we should have genuinely good people around us. If you don’t know who would carry you up a roof on that stretcher then pray a prayer of finding more faithful friends. If you wouldn’t BE that friend who carries another up a roof than go out of your way to serve others more today. Third, let’s rise.  Let’s hear His tender voice repeat those words to us in the deepest part of our hearts and let’s do it.  Rise in His grace, strength, and love. Rising in holiness, virtue, and recommitment to our friendship with Christ. Let’s continue on for love of Him.

 

Briana is a Catholic Doctrine teacher at Our Lady of Mt. Carmel school in Cleveland, OH. She received her Bachelor of Arts in Theology and Catechetics from the Franciscan University of Steubenville, OH and is excited to use these skills to bring her students closer to Christ and His Church. “My soul has been refined and I can raise my head like a flower after a storm.” -St. Therese

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Give Comfort to my People

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Isaiah’s beautiful passage is full of meaning. After a long and dark exile in Babylon, God directs Isaiah to tell His people that it is almost over. God will be there to expiate their sins, bring them out of captivity and “give comfort.” I love this reading.  Throughout all of human history, there have been periods of great trial. We look for comfort and do not find it. We look for a way out and do not find it. We stumble our way through life, looking for a path forward, and do not find it.

Perhaps we are looking in the wrong places.

Advent is the beautiful season of anticipation of the Lord’s coming. Have we not yet realized that this four-week season is our path out of darkness? If only we would open our eyes and see. See that the comfort we long for can be ours if we pay attention to God’s call to meet his Son and to see our way forward.

There is so much, today that I hate about Advent. It has become the season of shopping and gross consumerism. Pay attention to the ads. “The Twelve Days shopping at (name of store here).” Or, the “Twelve Gifts of Christmas at (name of store here).” We are bombarded from even before Halloween. I have disagreements with my family and friends about the real “Twelve Days of Christmas”…which should be the Evening of Dec. 24th through Epiphany. This is the Christmas Season. Not October 15th – December 25th, and then it’s all over. Trees are on the curbs; decoration disappear from the stores and our home, parties are suspended — I find this to be so sad, and personally, very troubling. Rush here, rush there; check off our list of items to be purchased; make everything equal so as not to offend anyone; outdoing each other in outdoor decorations and lights. Oh my! Where is Jesus in all of this? He is buried somewhere under the packages! And no, he will not appear to us on our doorstep in an Amazon package. Jesus must be welcomed into our hearts. Only we can make that happen.

Isaiah wants us to know that the darkness of this time of year is not lost on the date set for the celebration of the Incarnation. The long and dark days of winter are lit by the Light of Christ coming into the world. It should mean to us, if we pay attention, that our personal exiles can be ended by the comfort of the coming of Christ, here to lead us to safety. This season of anticipation also teaches us that Christ stays with us. His life from manger to grave to resurrection – or lives from birth to death to eternal glory.

If you haven’t yet started, I encourage you to begin the journey to Christmas with a heart to knowing Jesus better, to welcome him into your homes and families with the attention he deserves. Christmas will be a much more beautiful celebration for you. God loves you. He sent his Son to light your way. He gives comfort.

“The day of the Lord is near: behold, he comes to save us.”

God Bless.

Jeanne Penoyar, an Accounts Manager here at Diocesan, is currently a Lector at St. Anthony of Padua parish in Grand Rapids, MI. While at St. Thomas the Apostle, Grand Rapids, Jeanne was a Lector, Cantor, Coordinator of Special Liturgies, Coordinator of lectors and, at one time, chair of the Liturgy Commission. In a past life, secretary/bookkeeper at the Basilica of St. Adalbert where she ran the RCIA program for the Steepletown parishes. And she loves to write! When relaxing, she likes reading and word puzzles. You can contact her at jpenoyar@diocesan.com.

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Eclipse of Love

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“Jerusalem, take off your robe of mourning and misery; put on the splendor of glory from God forever.”

What a beautiful way to start the day, huh? All of us want to flee mourning and misery and put on the splendor of God. Our company just finished a conference with NFCYM where myParish App was the official app of the conference. On my flight back we got delayed and were stuck in the Chicago airport. We tried to get to our hotel for the night but got on the wrong bus. After getting off, I realized I left my phone on that bus and we had to wait a half hour for it to come back around. Long story short, we got two hours of sleep and I am now writing to you from a little plastic chair in the Chicago airport.

I needed a little pick me up this morning, and here the word of God delivered in a big way. Sometimes we go through times of misery, but the reminder of the Gospel is that it does not last. We are all made for glory and happiness with our God. The saints call these moments of ups and downs in our lives times of desolation and consolation.

Sometimes we have times where it is hard to see God working, it is hard to find hope. These would be moments of desolation. But in reality, we know that God is always there and ultimately he wants us to be happy with him forever. I like to relate this to a solar eclipse. For a few seconds, the sun is not visible. It is completely obstructed. But we know that even though we cannot see it or even feel its effects, that it is not gone forever. The eclipse finishes and the sun emerges. It is the same with the son of God.

Sometimes we feel like we can’t feel or see or hear God, but then those moments of consolation come where we truly feel his peace and love and live in that peace. These moments remind us that he never left and that we do not have to be afraid. St. Francis De Sales once said, “Fear is a greater evil than evil itself. O you of little faith: what is it you fear? Do not be afraid. You are walking on water, amid wind and wave, but you are with Jesus. What is there to fear? If fear takes hold of you, cry out strongly, ‘O Lord, save me!’ He will hold out a hand to you. Hold on tight and go forward with joy.”

I don’t know what kind of suffering is happening in your life right now. It might not be as little as losing a phone and getting very little sleep, (I got the phone back by the way) but whatever your suffering is, do not give up hope. Wait for the Son to appear again and give you his unconditional love and peace. From all of us here at Diocesan, God Bless!

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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Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of Mary

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Today, our blessed mother Church celebrates the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, one of the greatest Marian feasts of the year, but also one of the most widely misunderstood.

In the gospel today, we read about the angel Gabriel coming to Mary to deliver the blessed news that she will be the mother of God. Because of this, there may be confusion as to whose conception we are talking about, Jesus or Mary.

The Immaculate Conception refers to Mary’s conception in her mother’s womb. Nine months from today, we will celebrate her birthday. But, if we are celebrating Mary’s conception, why are we reading about the Annunciation today?

The church in her wisdom assigns these readings to the mass in part because of the way that St. Gabriel greets Mary, “Hail, full of Grace, the Lord is with you!” This, of course, is the first part of the Hail Mary, which we pray often as Catholics.

But what does that mean?

The Greek translation for “full of grace” that Luke writes in his gospel is kecharitomene and it is the only time that this word is used in the New Testament. The full translation refers to an action that was completed in the past that has relevance to the present. The angel is literally saying in his greeting, “Hail you who have been perfected in grace (or transformed in grace) as an action completed in the past but with relevance to now.”

Understandably, we can’t fit that whole translation into the Hail Mary. But what action is the angel referring to?

Obviously, the immaculate conception; Mary’s total and complete immunity from sin from the moment of her creation. The Catechism of the Catholic Church says that in order for Mary to accept her vocation as the Mother of God, “it was necessary that she be wholly borne by God’s grace” (CCC 490). Mary was saved by the merits of Jesus Christ on the cross. She was given a preventative medicine of sorts which saved her from sin, unlike the rest of us who are forgiven from our sins by virtue of the crucifixion and our baptism.

We have to understand what sin is and the Lord’s declaration in our first reading in order to understand why it was necessary for Mary to be immaculately conceived.

“Immaculate” means without stain and sin stains, especially original sin, which we read about in our first reading. Sin separates us from God and is a failure on our part to love God. It sets us against him. Therefore, it would make no sense for his mother to be separated from God, especially because there is nothing more intimate and united than a mother and her child in utero. In order for God to come and rescue us from ourselves, it is fitting for him to be born of a woman removed from all sin, including that original stain. She is the new Eve in Christ’s new creation.

We see this in our first readings. In Genesis 3:15, God is speaking to Satan following Adam and Eve’s disobedience. He says, “I will put enmity between you and the woman and your seed and her seed. He will crust your head and you shall lie in wait for his heel.”

Satan’s seed is sin. The woman (although initially Eve) must be Mary. Mary alone gives birth to the seed who is Jesus, no one else does that. Biologically speaking, a woman doesn’t carry a seed, only a man does, which he gives to a woman in the marital embrace. So, when the Lord says a woman’s seed, we can assume that he’s referring to the miraculous conception that is Christ in Mary’s womb.

The Lord also declares a radical, absolute, and complete separation (enmity) between Satan and Mary. Pope Pius IX said that if Mary had any sin, her enmity with Satan would not be absolute.

On this Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception, remember the Lord’s saving power and enduring love. Give thanks for the miracle of Mary’s conception, which reminds us that with God, nothing is impossible.

 O Mary conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee. Amen.

Hannah Crites is a native to Denver Colorado and graduate of Franciscan University of Steubenville. She has written for numerous publications and blogs including the Chastity Project, Washington Times, Faith & Culture: The Journal of the Augustine Institute, and Franciscan Magazine. She is currently working in content and digital marketing for a small web development and digital marketing agency. Connect with her through Twitter (@hannah_crites) and Facebook. Check out more of what she has written at https://hannahcrites.wordpress.com/

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Pity and Faith

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Son of David, have pity on us.

We hear this phrase frequently in the Gospels. Today, we hear these words out of the mouths of blind men in the Gospel of Matthew.

Although they could not have seen the miracles He had previously worked, these followers of Jesus knew of His reputation and had faith in His ability to heal them. They address Jesus using the Messianic title “Son of David,” a name not only connected with His royal lineage but one that also reflects His healing power.

Too often, we try to take matters in our own hands, believing that our plans are greater than God’s. In those circumstances, we think we are displaying great faith in ourselves, in our abilities, but what we are really showing is a complete lack of faith in the Lord. Think about what courage and faith the blind men must have had to even ask, “Son of David, have pity on us!”

Let’s take a look at the definition of pity. A “feeling of sorrow and compassion caused by the suffering and misfortune of others.” Remember, Jesus is fully human and He is moved out of those same human emotions of sorrow and compassion to help these men of faith.

As we journey through this season of Advent, let us embrace the spirit of the blind men. Let us have a bold faith. When the Lord asks us, “Do you believe that I can do this?” let us be bold enough to answer with a RESOUNDING “yes.” But let us also be humble enough to acknowledge our spiritual blindness in the first place. Humility and boldness go hand in hand here, working together in faith.

What are the areas of our lives that cause us spiritual blindness? Advent presents a great opportunity to reflect on our shortcomings and take them to Jesus in the Sacrament of Reconciliation. There is truly no better way to prepare ourselves for His birth than to rid our hearts of sin and darkness, giving Him pride of place instead.

For these next few days, let us take the opportunity to answer, “Yes, Lord. We believe.” You might be amazed at what He works in your life, what He does for your faith.

Erin is a Parma Heights, Ohio, native and a 2016 graduate of Franciscan University of Steubenville. She uses her communication arts degree in a couple of different ways: first, as an Athletic Communications Assistant at Baldwin Wallace University and, secondly, as a youth minister at her home parish of Holy Family Church. Although both of her jobs are on complete opposite spectrums, she truly enjoys being able to span the realm of communications. You can follow her on multiple Twitter accounts – @erinmadden2016 (personal), @bwathletics (work) and @HFVision (youth ministry).

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Feast of St. Nicholas

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The readings today speak of our trust and faith in the Lord. Both instruct us to have our Rock of faith as the Lord and keep our foundations in solidarity with Him, otherwise our houses, our lives will collapse. “Only the one who does the will of my Father will enter the Kingdom of heaven.” It is a great line to focus on this Advent, as we re-align ourselves with the will of our Father in heaven.

St. Nicholas of Myra, (280-343 AD), whose feast we celebrate today, is a wonderful example of keeping focused on the Lord. St. Nicholas is revered in both the Eastern and Western Church and was well known as a saint, long before Saints were officially approved by the Church (which began in the late 8th century). Read about this little-known fact of the Secret Santa here.

There are many legends attributed to this beloved Saint. When my children were young, I told them to leave their shoes by the door on the eve of the feast of St. Nicholas, which is a popular tradition in Europe. In this narrative, St. Nick places chocolates, fruits or small gifts in the shoes.

Looking at prayers to St. Nicholas, I find myself drawn to this one. It sets a nice tone to the joyful season of Advent. May you be reminded of it every time you see a candy cane and smile or share with others the blessing.

Feast of St. Nicholas Day Candy Cane Blessing Prayer

Good St. Nicholas, we honor you
on this your holy feast day.
We rejoice that you are the patron saint
and the holy symbol of joy
for many peoples of many lands.

Come, great-hearted saint,
and be our patron and companion
as we, once again, prepare our homes and hearts
for the great feast of Christmas,
the birth of the Eternal Blessing, Jesus Christ.

May these sweets, these candy canes,
be a sign of Advent joy for us.
May these candy canes,
shaped just like your Bishop’s staff,
be for us a sign of your benevolent care.

We rejoice that you are the holy bringer of gifts
and that so many have been delighted
through your great generosity.
Help us to be as generous of heart.

Wherever these candy canes are hung,
on tree or wall or door,
may they carry with them
the bright blessing of God.
May all who shall taste them
experience the joy of God
upon their tongues and in their hearts.

We ask God, now, to bless
these your brightly striped sweets
in the name of the Father,
and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Beth Price is a Secular Franciscan (OFS) and spiritual director who has worked in several parish ministry roles during the last 20 years. She is a proud mother of 3 adult children. Beth currently works at Diocesan. You can contact her at bprice@diocesan.com.