Happy Birthday

In a shameless attempt to garner attention for myself, allow me to announce my birthday. On December 31st, 1945, at 13 minutes to midnight my Mom and I rendezvoused in the delivery room. Until about my 10th birthday I believed the parties and celebrations were about me. Nothing since my 10th birthday has occurred to change my mind.

Wishing all of you a Happy
and Safe New Year

Pope John Paul II - Prayer from Angelus Message for the Feast of the Holy Family 2004

"May the Holy Family, who had to overcome many painful trials, watch over all the families in the world, especially those who are experiencing difficult situations. May the Holy Family also help men and women of culture and political leaders so that they may defend the institution of the family, based on marriage, and so that they may sustain the family as it confronts the grave challenges of the modern age! During this Year of the Eucharist may Christian families find the light and strength to be united and to grow as the 'domestic church' especially in their diligent participation in the celebration of the Eucharist on Sunday."

Real Author Caught Lurking

Banjo and Mitch Finley are two words that seem to go together. Never mind the 300 gazillion Catholic books he has written or his many other achievements. Ask Mitch what he is most proud of, besides his brilliant wife, and he will tell you it is being able to play the banjo.

Mitch’s writing style is easy to read and equally easy to understand. His book on the Seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit is one of my favorites. Kathy’s, Savoring God: Praying With All Our Senses, is excellent. Sorry Kathy – I still don’t like that cover.

Go visit Mitch and Kathy at their website and you can even hear Mitch playing his banjo on the download page.

Hey Mitch,
Q: What do you say to the banjo player in the three-piece suit?

A: Will the defendant please rise.

Since my editor is spending the evening with Mitch, I will have to take a leap of faith and actually do a post without editorial oversight. Spell check is wonderful but I'm in need of "comma check."

God Calling

In previous posts, we have talked together about the different ways God makes His presence known to us. Some of the ways God has “called” us is through scripture, our conscience, divine inspiration, and the created world.

Through faith filled prayer, we have begun to discern how God may want for us to live our lives. Our current 12 days of Christmas is an excellent time for us to explore some other ways to allow God to draw us closer to Him.

Spiritual journaling is a practice some people find very helpful. Many of our greatest Catholic saints and mystics kept journals. It is a wonderful way to “reflect on paper” not only about the good times, but also the bad times. Journaling helps us slow down our thoughts and give them order. If we become tired or distracted in the middle of our prayers, writing them down can help bring a bit of order to our disorder.

As part of the Spiritual Exercises in Everyday Life (SEEL), we kept a spiritual journal. Sometimes I drew pictures or wrote in a bit of Scripture I found to be of particular help. Over time, I discovered I was able to look back and see the times God was working in my life even when I thought He had deserted me.

How you journal is up to you. There is no right or wrong way to record your thoughts. Any book you are comfortable with will work. Some may prefer something grand like a leather bound book, while others will prefer a Snoopy notebook from the five and dime. This is your journey so embark on it however you please.

So why the picture of the pen? That pen was my Mom’s most prized possession. My Mom died 26 years ago and the pen was missing for many years. I located it quite by accident many years after her death. I’ve used it for years now to write in my spiritual journal, but recently it became apparent that some major repair work had to be done.

I sent it off to Main Street Pens, and to the able ministrations of Ron Zorn and his lovely wife Robyn. I received it back just days before Christmas, and it was like a new pen. If you are a lover of fountain pens, please keep Ron in mind for your pen repairs. He also has some beautiful pens for sale – I’m already lusting after some of them.

Don't permit your misery or defeats to depress you. Rather let them be steps by which you descend the deep mine where we find the precious gem of holy humility.
-- St. Paola Frassinetti

I bumped into this quote yesterday quite by accident, and it made me stop what I was doing and ponder the meaning. During the Christmas season, we see so much depression, due in part to setting such high standards for what we expect to happen. Craving a picture perfect “Brady Bunch” holiday, we often get “The Munster’s Wreck Christmas.” We are tired from all the running around, and Christmas day itself becomes a let down.

We alcoholics know this well and always plan round-the-clock AA meetings during the major holidays. It is a chance for people of like mind to gather together and share the spirit of Christmas.

Barring a medical problem, for which one needs to see a good physician, what we call “depression” is really dissatisfaction and disappointment, which is a submersion into self. When we turn inward, without intending to seek improvement, or when we want to blame others for our disappointment, we are practicing a perfect prescription for unhappiness.

Take time to examine the areas of your life that could use some improvement. Also, take time to recognize when God has been working overtime to bless and keep you safe. Recognize the struggles for what they really are – a time of growth in holiness

The Twelve Days

For many people, Christmas is over. They “shopped till they dropped”, ate a huge meal, and some even made their yearly pilgrimage to some church. For Catholics, however, the Christmas season is just beginning. The twelve days between December 25 and the feast of the Epiphany on January 6 is our Christmas season – or at least it should be.

When I was growing up, the day after Christmas was always a quiet day. It was a day to play with our new toys, eat leftovers, and just relax after the hustle and bustle of the days leading up to Christmas day. Unfortunately, this is not a possibility for most people, as they must return to their jobs, or to other responsibilities.

On Christmas day, we welcomed our Savior into our hearts and we began a new period of spiritual growth. A wonderful way to keep this Christmas season would be to spend the days leading up to the Epiphany as a time of renewal – a type of mini-retreat.

Make an effort to slow down and think about the wondrous things God has done for us. Try out a new spiritual practice or start a new family ritual of prayer. Journey with the wise men as they follow the star. Our faith must be rooted in our daily life. If our life has no “room in the inn”, we will miss the opportunity to grow in knowledge of Our Lord.

“Heaven is not a geographical place in space, it is a geographical place in our hearts.” Pope Benedict XVI

For today in the city of David a savior has been born for you who is Messiah and Lord.







May all my blogger friends have a safe and holy Christmas.

• Uncle Jim - a second chance


• Father V - Adam's Ale


• Adoro - Adoro te Devote


• Angela and her best friend Angela - Angela Messenger


• Cathy of Alex - Recovering Dissident Catholic


• Tom and Critter - Science, Religion and Miscellaneous Babble


• Deacon Dennis - Vita Mea


• Carolina Cannonball - The Crescat


• Terry - Abby-Roads


• Ma Beck - WardWideWeb


• Karen - Gem of the Ocean


• Jeffery - Back to Damerosehay


• Father Phillip - Domine, da mihi hanc a quam


• All the wild and crazy guys - Spirit of Vatican II


• Paul Cat - Alive and Young


• Justme and all his friends - Oh, and... this


• Michael - Archangel's Pulpit


• Faithful Catholic - Patience is a Virtue


• Athanasius - 50 days after


• Laura and Christine - Laura's Place


• SwissMiss - St. Monica's Kneeler


• Jennifer - The Catholic Path


• Boniface - Unam Sanctam Catholicam


• PaulaB52 - As we Wait in Joyful Hope


• Therese - Aussie Coffee Shop


• Alexandra Happy Hearts at Home


• Micki - Holy Cards for Your Inspiration


• Father John Speekman - Homilies and Reflections from Australia


• Vincenzo - Sancte Pater


• Diana - St. Fiacre's Garden
• Ray - Stella Borealis

If I have missed any of my friends, I apologize on bended knee.

Prayers needed as I sing in the choir for tonight's Mass. I told my Minnesota friend I was singing and she said, "I didn't know you sang." Well Mary, neither does the choir director.

My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,my spirit rejoices in God my Savior for he has looked with favor on his lowly servant.
From this day all generations will call me blessed: the Almighty has done great things for me, and holy is his Name.


The advice on today’s morning programs on TV was how to accomplish all our last minute shopping. Today, for many, will be a day of hustle and bustle as the count down to Christmas begins.

Yet the Gospel for today, The Canticle of Mary (Luke 1:46-55), tells a much different story. Mary quietly reflects on what God has done for her. She tells us that she is “the handmaid of the Lord.” She recognizes that God has done great things for her and without Him she is nothing. She is a reflection of His glory and that is why we call her blessed.

Mary perfectly cooperated with the work of salvation through faith and obedience and she is the best example of how we should live our lives. Do your duties today with joy in your heart that God has also done great things for you.

I've Been Blessed

Therese at Aussie Coffee Shop has blessed me and I am very grateful. I guess I've tricked her into thinking I actually have something to say. Only kidding, Therese:)

You can go here to read about the blogging blessings that were started by Deb at Ukok.

It's a game of tag with a difference, rather than looking inwardly, we look outside ourselves and bless, praise and pray for 3 blog friend.

By participating in this endeavor we not only make the recipient of the blessing feel valued and appreciated, but we are having some fun too. We’re going to see how far the bloggin’ blessings can travel around the world and how many people can be blessed!

Recipients of a bloggin’ blessing may upload the above image to their sidebar if they choose to. If you receive a bloggin’ blessing’ please leave a comment on at Ukok ( here) so that we can rejoice in just how many blessings have been sent around the world!

I'm going to bless:

1. Tom of Science, Religion, and Miscellaneous Babble cause he takes good care of Critter and is always supportive. And, sometimes he says some pretty intelligent things:)
2. Angela of Angela Messenger 'cause she just loves doing these things. Bless her little pea-pickn' heart!!
3. SwissMiss at St. Monica's Kneeler 'cause we shared a "small paul" moment.

Introducing Father John Speekman

I’m been visiting Father John of Homilies and Reflections from Australia for a few weeks now and I think he’s getting lonely. He is fairly new to blogging and I have enjoyed his gentle and wise instructions. His post on prophets was so good I printed it out for my journal.

Take a few moments and say hi! to Father John. I know he'd like the company.

Something to Ponder

A group of graduates, well established in their careers, were talking at a reunion and decided to go visit their old university professor, now retired. During their conversation it turned to complaints about stress in their work and lives. Offering his guests hot chocolate, the professor went into the kitchen and returned with a large pot of hot chocolate and an assortment of cups -porcelain, glass, crystal, some plain looking, some expensive, some exquisite - telling them to help themselves to the hot chocolate.

When they all had a cup of hot chocolate in hand, the professor said: "Notice that all the nice looking, expensive cups were taken, leaving behind the plain and cheap ones. While it is normal for you to want only the best for yourselves, that is the source of your problems and stress. The cup that you're drinking from adds nothing to the quality of the hot chocolate. In most cases it is just more expensive and in some cases even hides what we drink. What all of you really wanted was hot chocolate, not the cup; but you consciously went for the best cups... And then you began eyeing each other's cups.

Now consider this: Life is the hot chocolate; your job, money and position in society are the cups. They are just tools to hold and contain life. The cup you have does not define, nor change the quality of life you have. Sometimes, by concentrating only on the cup, we fail to enjoy the hot chocolate. The happiest people don't have the best of everything. They just make the best of everything that they have. Live simply. Love generously. Care deeply. Speak kindly. And enjoy your hot chocolate.

On the Lighter Side

Tagged

I try not to post anything personal, mainly because I think I'm a pretty boring person, but I promised Therese from Aussie Coffee Shop I would do this meme way back on the 13th of December. Therese is also hosting the Catholic Carnival. What a little bee she is!!

We have been very busy moving our lady friend, who has terminal cancer, into a retirement apartment. She is failing so fast that we may have to move her immediately into assisted living. We will know more after I speak with Hospice this morning. Please keep Rose in your prayers.

I realize the questions call for "one" book but I do everything to excess!

1. One book that changed your life: They all helped change my life in some way.


2. One book that you’ve read more than once: In This House of Brede, The Screwtape Letters, and Winds of War


3. One book you’d want on a desert island: How to Build a Boat


4. One book that made you laugh: The World According to Garp, Comma Sense


5. One book that made you cry: I don’t cry very often


6. One book that you wish had been written: Eating Carbs While Staying Slim


7. One book that you wish had never been written. Huh?? Oh, I guess The Course in Miracles.


8. One book you’re currently reading: I never read one book at a time. Right now I am reading God’s Providence Explained by Father Henri Morice, Cell by Stephen King, Bridge of Sighs by Richard Russo, Peak Learning by Ronald Gross, and Writing Tools by Roy Peter Clark.


9. One book you’ve been meaning to read: That would be pretty much any book I hadn’t read yet.

I tag anyone who reads.

Prayer

    Prayer as a subject keeps coming up because we in the blogoshere seem to be forever talking about it. We ask for prayers, offer prayers, tell others to pray, and relate what we are praying about. Many of the people reading this may feel pretty inadequate when it comes to their prayer life.

    The word "Pray" comes from the Latin word precari, which simply means to entreat or ask. Our Catechism lists five types of prayer: Blessing and Adoration, Petition, Intercession, Thanksgiving, and Praise. These types of prayers can be accomplished in the form of vocal prayer, meditation, or contemplative prayer.

    For years, I have attempted to read every book on prayer, including some by excellent Protestant authors. After all, Catholics don’t hold a patent on praying. And the result of all this reading? A whole lot of information and very little praying.

    Spending too much time analyzing and not enough time doing will produce prayer that will become a duty and a chore. Take a look back at the five types of prayer. Take a few moments each day to simply bless and adore God for who He is. Ask Him for what you need and forgiveness for what you may have done. Of course, don’t forget to thank Him for what He has already given you, ask for help for your friends, and simply recognize who He is – the one who creates and sustains all life.

    If you don’t think you are getting what you need from your prayer, or you are not praying well enough, you are too focused on yourself. We live in a society that promotes the concept of the importance of self. When we complain about our prayer life, we may be searching for an “experience.” We think we are not “holy enough” if something dramatic doesn’t happen. If you recall Jesus praying in the Garden of Gethsemane, you will “see” many dramatic things taking place, none of which included an obvious answer to all His prayer. There were no bolts of lightning or exploding rocks. If anything, God the Father seemed pretty quiet. Should we expect more than the Son of God?

Advent Marches On

This coming Sunday is called Gaudete Sunday (third Sunday of Advent.) It is named after the first word of the Entrance Antiphon at Mass and it means “Rejoice”. It is a time of relief from the penitential aspect of Advent.

The Church is telling us to take a break and focus on our hope for a coming Savior. It is ironic that the first weeks of Advent correspond with the time we seem to be most stressed in trying to “get ready” for Christmas as the world would have us get ready. Shopping, decorating, baking, and all the things we think are important.

By the Third Sunday of Advent, we either think we are so far behind that there is no hope of catching up, or we crank into high gear and make ourselves crazy. Either of these paths tend to lead us further away from the meaning of Advent.

The second reading from James 5:7-10 tells us to “be patient, my brothers, until the coming of the Lord.” If you have been too caught up in the hustle and bustle of Christmas preparations, take a moment to reflect on the true meaning of Advent.

Sit down and have a cup of coffee with Our Blessed Mother and share her excitement at the impending birth of her Son. As Advent marches on, make sure you are in the parade to Bethlehem to greet your Savior.

Ignatian Retreat

Then the wolf shall be a guest of the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; the calf and the young lion shall browse together, with a little child to guide them. Isaiah 11:6

    Several years ago, I did the Spiritual Exercises in Everyday Life at Gonzaga University (SEEL). It proved to be one of the most valuable things I ever did. It gave me direction in my prayer life and it taught me how to pray with Scripture.

    This program gives everyone a chance to benefit from the Ignatian Exercises without having to set aside 30 days in our busy lives. Creighton University has the entire program on-line, brilliantly arranged, for us “everyday folks” to use. They have even included a “sharing” place for reflections.

    Take a moment now and check out this wonderful resource. And then, take 15 to 30 minutes a day to enrich your life.

Erica (see her story) has found some new friends.

Discernment

   Over the past week or so, we’ve talked about some of the ways God speaks to us. I have not covered all the ways, nor delved very deeply into the ones we did discuss. I expect my readers to do further research on their own, and my only purpose is to get the ball rolling.

   Which brings us to discernment. I used to hear this word and immediately think of “spirits” as in witches and warlocks. After spending a year on my Ignatian Retreat, I had a much better appreciation of not only what discernment really was, but the importance of developing a keen eye for the truth.

   Discernment simply means that we exhibit sound insight and good judgment. We tend to be good at this when it comes to everyday objects or occurrences. If we don’t like a certain food, for instance, we don’t eat it. If we are cold, we put on a sweater.

   Yet, when it comes to our immortal soul, we often exhibit far less care. We live in an age of information overload. If you are reading this, you have probably already checked out the number of Catholic websites, blogs, and news agencies. Some of them are a source of great wisdom and some are a scandalous barrage of nonsense.

   And, let us not forget that “oracle of wisdom”, Oprah Winfrey and her ilk, which would have you believing you “have the power.” The messages of the quasi-New Agers and “feel good” merchants of deception are swaying far too many Catholics. New Age practices and thinking is no longer creeping into our churches; it is now a full gallop. Now, more than ever, discernment is needed.

   How do you protect yourself, gentle reader, from information that is not in tune with Catholic teaching? Well, first you must discern what is right and what is wrong, and to do that you must know your Catholic faith. It is part of developing that well-formed conscience we talked about yesterday.

   Try starting with the Catechism of the Catholic Church. I’m shocked at the number of Catholics who do not own, nor have even read the Catechism. If you like your information on-line you will find the entire Catechism right in front of your nose. Catholic Culture provides reviews of Catholic websites that can be very helpful. Find a spiritual advisor who is authentically Catholic to help you discern.

   And, don’t forget prayer. Ask the Holy Spirit to guide you as you travel your road of conversion. I can’t say this often enough; conversion is not a one-time event – it is a life long commitment to growth and change.

God Calling

I have the same hope in God as they themselves have that there will be a resurrection of the righteous and the unrighteous.
Because of this, I always strive to keep my conscience clear before God and man.

Acts 24:15-16

As we continue to look at the ways God speaks to us we come to conscience. The Catholic Church teaches us to follow our conscience. But, in order for us to make moral and ethical decisions, we must first have a well-formed conscience.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church states:
1783 Conscience must be informed and moral judgment enlightened. A well-formed conscience is upright and truthful. It formulates its judgments according to reason, in conformity with the true good willed by the wisdom of the Creator. The education of conscience is indispensable for human beings who are subjected to negative influences and tempted by sin to prefer their own judgment and to reject authoritative teachings.

Many Catholics have gotten themselves in deep trouble for not having, or even attempting to have, a conscience that is formed to the word of God and the teachings of the Catholic Church. I refer to it as “willful ignorance.” Many of us have fooled ourselves by doing what is convenient or “feels good” rather than what God demands of us.

When we are tempted to sin, God speaks to us through our conscience. If you are listening, the call of God to do what is good rather than evil is strong. If we ignore this call, it will become harder and harder to hear.

Prayer for God’s Help in Daily Actions

Our Father, may everything I do begin with Your Inspiration,
Continue with Your Help.
And reach perfection under Your Guidance.
With Your loving care guide me in my daily actions.
Help me to persevere with love and sincerity.
Teach me to judge wisely the things of earth And to love the things of Heaven.

Feast of the Immaculate Conception

Hail, Full of Grace

Over the past few years, our Protestant brothers and sisters have been holding Mary in higher regard than in the past. For some, however, it is still a very sticky point of doctrine they just don’t want to wrap themselves around.

For Mary to be born without original sin is, in particular, difficult for them to understand, or for that matter, want to believe. Even many Catholics today do not understand this doctrine. Far too many Catholics think today’s celebration is about Jesus being conceived without sin. And, some even think it means Mary was conceived “by the power of the Holy Spirit”, which she was not.

For Mary to be immaculately conceived means that from the moment of conception Mary was preserved from the stain of Original Sin. Mary had the potential to be born with Original Sin, but God stepped in with the redeeming grace of Christ. He is God, after all, and is perfectly capable of doing this.

We hear this most plainly when the Angel Gabriel says to Mary; “Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with you” (Luke 1:28). Many of the recent translations say something wimpy along the lines of “highly favored one.” Yes, Mary was highly favored, but “full of grace” tells us so much more. For Gabriel to recognize her as “full of grace” lets us know that this indwelling of sanctifying grace had already happened.

One of the main objections to the Immaculate Conception is Rom. 3:23 where we are told, “all have sinned.” Furthermore, Mary said in Luke 1:47; “ My spirit rejoices in God my Savior.” If she had no sin why would she need a Savior?

As to “all have sinned” we know a little baby cannot commit a sin. You have to have an awareness in order to sin, which a baby is incapable of having. St. Paul was most likely referring to Original Sin in this passage. So, we have come full circle. We are all subject to Original Sin, even Mary. At the moment of conception, however, Mary was kept spotless - a perfect vessel for Our Lord and Savior.

This woman who was cast in the role of Mother of God is also our Mother. She is someone you can turn to in times of need. She is someone who loves and understands you, and she is the one who teaches you the true meaning of obedience. When Mary said, “be it done unto me according to Thy will”, she gave us a vision for a way of life we all should be striving to live.

God Calling

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness,
faithfulness, gentleness and self-control." Galatians 5:22-23

Divine inspiration is another way God speaks to us. The dictionary says it is “inspiration endowed by God upon spiritually gifted persons.” To some degree, we are all spiritually gifted because God made us in His image and likeness.

We have all experienced potential danger averted at the last moment by some unforeseen circumstance. The first thing we are likely to attribute it to is luck when in fact it was the hand of God working in our lives.

It is not enough to know the truth – we must feel it and live it. By actively looking and listening we will learn to see and hear the supernatural inspiration. Just as God gave every animal instincts necessary for its preservation, if we open our hearts and our minds, God will give us the inspiration we need to live as He intended.

God Calling

A View from the Deck

The best remedy for those who are afraid, lonely or unhappy is to go outside, somewhere where they can be quiet, alone with the heavens, nature and God. Because only then does one feel that all is as it should be, and that God wishes to see people happy, amidst the simple beauty of nature.

Anne Frank

One of the many ways God speaks to us is through His created world. As I was cruising around my computer, this picture I took last spring popped up. It is looking north from our front deck, and for just a moment I was taken aback at how pretty it was. Judging by that picture I figure God had some pretty good things to say that day. I’m not too sure I was listening.

It made me wonder how many times I walked outside, preoccupied with how many weeds needed to be pulled, or which hoses needed to be moved, and completely missed God saying to me, “Look what I made for you. Isn’t it pretty?” He gave all of nature to us for our enjoyment and pleasure. When we treat lightly the wonders that surround us, we treat God lightly.

How God speaks to us is a subject I spend a lot of time on because it is so important. Over the next few days, I will chat about some of the other ways His will is communicated to us.

For now, gentle reader, look around at the wonders in your world and know that God is speaking to you.

Prayers Needed

During the time I was stumbling about doing the Meme (what a lot of work), I discovered Mary's Prayer Garden. Please go and read her entry for today and add your prayers for RoseMary Teresa and her family.

We can be sure this little girl is safe in the arms of her heavenly Father.

Tagged for a Meme

Just a few of my daylilies

I've been tagged by Father Tim, that wild and crazy guy from SOV2.

Father Tim was tagged by Therese at Aussie Coffee Shop

Rules

Here's what you do:

Each tagged person must post 8 random facts or habits about themselves on their blog. At the end of the post, choose 8 people to be tagged and list their names. Don't forget to leave a comment telling them that they are tagged and to read your blog. Have fun!

1. I love high heels


2. I could live on nachos - the more jalapenos the better! Think I'll have some tonight!


3. I was the first women to sell cars in Spokane, WA


4. I was a hairdresser for 25 years and owned a salon in Sedona, AZ


5. Tony Soprano is my hero


6. I taught ballroom dancing for Fred Astaire for many years and won the United States Ballroom competition in the mid 70's


7. My AA birthday was July 25 and I was 17 years sober


8. I own and operate a daylily nursery on my five acres
   

I will be tagging:

1. Swiss Miss at St. Monica's Kneeler

2 Tom in Vegas at Science, Religion, and Miscellaneous

3. Athanasius at 50 Days After

4. Paul Cat at Alive and Young

5. Karen at Gem of the Ocean

6. Justme at Oh, and..This

7. Pilgrim at Twisted Valley

8. Uncle Jim at A Second Chance

An Angela for Angela

Blessed Angela of Foligno

Mistress of Theologians
(1248-1309)

Angela Messenger's Saint for '08

Everyone who has received a patron through the hard work of our own Angela Messenger needs to know what a huge job she took on.

When Angela says your saint picks you she is absolutely dead on. After I worked on this for about 6 or 8 hours (mind you – this was just one saint not a boat load like she did), I figured I had, once again, opened my big trap when I shouldn’t have.

Despair was setting in and I was becoming frantic. I took a break, had a latte, a quick chat with God, and returned to my duty.

And, voila – there she was! Blessed Angela of Foligno jumped off the screen, grabbed me by the eyeballs and said, “What, are you dumb or what”?? Here I am and that woman needs me but, most importantly, I need her.

God bless you Angela Messenger for all your hard work.

Called to be Holy

When I did the year long Spiritual Exercises in Everyday Life (SEEL), I was most taken by the call of Isaiah (Is. 6:1-13). The first reason was my fascination with the Seraphim. Six wings are pretty impressive, and I went on a search for a likeness of this amazing creature. My search eventually landed me at St. Charles Borromeo Church in Picayune, Mississippi. They have beautiful statues of the Seraphim on each side of their altar.

Once I had satisfied my pathological “need to know” about the Seraphim I had to address this business of being “called.” I had already come to understand that not only had God always known me, but also everyone else. Not only had I always existed, but also God had a plan for me, just as He does for each of you, gentle reader. This can be a comforting truth, especially if you think yourself useless.

We’re told quite often our first and most important calling is to be holy. It is through our calling that we work toward our holiness. Some of us will have conspicuous callings and others will labor for the Kingdom of God in a more subdued manner. Not everyone can be the star on the top of the Christmas tree. Some of us have to be little ornaments. But together we make up the whole beauty of the tree.

Believe then, the Word of God. You are uniquely chosen, prepared, and guided. When we pray and ask “Thy will be done”, we are taking the first step toward fulfilling our destiny.

Meditation for the day: Isaiah 6:1-13 The Call of Isaiah and Isaiah 45:1-13 to see how God called Cyrus by name and prepared his ways.