Our Baptismal Call

 

The public life of Jesus began with His Baptism on the shore of the Jordan River...

 

It ended with Jesus commanding the Apostles to
"go and make disciples of all, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that He had commanded them."
(Matthew 28:19-20)

 

When we are baptized...we are claimed for Christ...
What does this mean?

- it means we are called to reach out and minister to others
- it means we are called to share the Good News

- it means we are called to be both: servants and leaders

 

Are we living out our call today?

What if pain is in the PRESENT moment?

Today, a friend died. This is a cause for much sorrow and pain...
How can I be grateful? How can I survive the agony of grief?

Today, my house was flooded, and we lost many precious little family treasures...
How do we stay calm and serene in spite of the stress of such material loss?
How do we gain the strength and courage to face the 'clean-up' that lies ahead?

Today, my aging body aches all over...
My knees are swollen from arthritis...my head is hurting from sinus congestion...I can hardly get around much anymore...How do I give thanks for the miracle of life? I am breathing...I'm still able to give thanks for all that I feel and experience this day.

As I look out the window, I see sunshine. There is warmth and light in the air...Hope fills my spirit as I breathe in (inhale) the 'good' (the oxygen and the Holy Spirit)...and I remember to breathe out (exhale) the nasty stuff in my lungs (carbon dioxide, anxiety, fear, impatience with self and others...)

Life is worth living to the max! The good, the bad, and the ugly...It all makes us ALIVE...

Be present! Ways to be living in the moment...

How can I be really PRESENT to each moment lived?

1- Be grateful. (Is the glass "half empty or half full"?)
2- Be intentional. (say "hello nice day!" to people you meet...and mean it! The good comes right back at ya!) ("Don't worry, be happy" This really works!)
3- Be still (like a child who is looking at life for the first time...)
4- Take your time along the way...Schedules and agenda-keeping can wait! Let an impromptu/unplanned moment linger...When did you notice a beautiful sunset on your way home from work - while you sit in traffic!
5- Breathe it in! The good in each moment slips away when we fail to be truly present. For good or not-so-good...each moment brings an opportunity for a life fully lived! Intensity may vary. The main ingredient to being fully alive: is to be fully present!

What if pain is in the PRESENT moment?
I'll tell you more in my next post!

Are you concerned about a family member or friend experiencing abuse?

“Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.”           – Matthew 11:28

Once you recognize the abuse, know you are not to blame and

you are not alone. No one deserves to be abused.

This is not just the law in America.

This is the teaching of the Catholic Church.

 

Call the National Domestic Violence Hotline:

800-799-SAFE (7233) - 24 hours, toll free www.ndvh.org

From the U.S. Catholic Bishops’ Committee:

When I Call for Help: A Pastoral Response to Domestic Violence against Women:

http://bit.ly/usccb_dv

We acknowledge that violence has many forms, many causes, and many victims—men as well as women. The Catholic Church teaches that violence against another person in any form fails to treat that person as someone worthy of love. Instead, it treats the person as an object to be used.

Learn more about how the Church cares at www.CatholicsForFamilyPeace.org

Visit www.usccb.org for more Catholic resources

 

 

 

 

 

 

Every day offers a choice...

What sort of reading,
what sort of TV programs,
what sort of conversations,
what sort of friends will we choose to welcome into our home?

The Word of God reminds us ever so gently...
yet with a sense of urgency:
"Walk while you have the light,
so that darkness may not overcome you." (John 12:35) 


"Whatever is true,
whatever is honorable,
whatever is just,
whatever is pure,
whatever is lovely,
whatever is gracious,
if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise,
think about these things."
(Philippians 4:8)