FOCA

The Freedom of Choice Act, an act which would, in effect, totally legalize almost all forms of abortions, will soon be up for vote in Congress - and President-Elect Obama has vowed to sign it into law.

Check out this website to get the facts on FOCA. Email your congressmen, sign petitions, mobilize your peers. Don't let them legalize more murder.

http://www.fightfoca.com/

When Things Go Wrong

How often in our lives to things fail to go our way? Today's world tells us that the things that make us unhappy are a lack of money, possessions, and things like that. As followers of Christ, we have something better than those material things: God. Life can be challenging, but we have faith that the Lord is with us.

I like the words of Palm 91, especially verses 2-7, which read:

2 I will say of the LORD, "He is my refuge and my fortress,
my God, in whom I trust."

3 Surely he will save you from the fowler's snare
and from the deadly pestilence.

4 He will cover you with his feathers,
and under his wings you will find refuge;
his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.

5 You will not fear the terror of night,
nor the arrow that flies by day,

6 nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness,
nor the plague that destroys at midday.

7 A thousand may fall at your side,
ten thousand at your right hand,
but it will not come near you.

We can take a lot of confidence from this! It just means that, with God, we have nothing to fear. He will protect us from all the evils of this world, and keep us safe. We don't need wealth, power, status, or anything of the sort. With God, we have all that we need.

What about suffering? Is it right that, with God, we still should have hard times?

Yes.

Suffering is good in several ways. First, it reminds us of the evils of this world, and makes us recognize that heaven - and true happiness - awaits. Secondly, suffering can be a form of apostolate. In our suffering for Christ, taking up our crosses and following him, we set an example for others. Suffering, then, can be a gift, perhaps even a source of joy.

Finally, when things go wrong, pray. Pray for the intercession of the saints, Mary, and pray to the Lord Himself. They will look out for you.

Romans 6:18-19

You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness. I put this in human terms because you are weak in your natural selves. Just as you used to offer the parts of your body in slavery to impurity and to ever-increasing wickedness, so now offer them in slavery to righteousness leading to holiness.


This quote touched me today...it represents the truth that we are all sinners, and that we can all turn from our failures to seek new beginnings, and to truly serve Christ.

Merry Christmas

Remember the Family

Society today detracts from the concept of the family in a lot of ways. We're told to be super-independent, and as kids, to basically disregard what our parents tell us.

Keep in mind, the fourth commandment: Honor thy father and mother.

This Christmas season is a great way to get back in touch with the family - to honor thy father and mother. They might drive you crazy, but these weeks are a time for reconciliation and love.

Just Let It All Out

In today's world, culture tells us to keep our emotions locked up inside. We're trained from an early age to put up walls, blocking who we really are, and hiding our emotions from others. What people often don't realize, though, is just how harmless this can be.

God created us to live in truth and love. By hiding our true selves, keeping our feelings buried deep inside, we cut ourselves off from true community. In opening ourselves to others, we can grow in our relationship with them, being honest the way God calls us to be.

This is the root of community, which we call "The Body of Christ". You, me, and all the other people make up this group. That doesn't mean that we are Jesus in the same way that the Eucharist is, but it means that we are his extension on Earth, we are His instruments. Our charity and good deeds are examples of God working through us, using us as His body. Developing this body - this community - comes through sharing our thoughts, our feelings, and our faith.

In conclusion, the next time you are tempted to lock your thoughts inside your head, or to keep sadness or fear from your friends, fight back. Be open with them, and the love you will share will blow you away.

Who's your "voice"?

In today's Gospel, we hear the words of Isaiah recalled by Mark. He writes:

Behold, I am sending my messenger ahead of you;
he will prepare your way.
A voice of one crying out in the desert:
“Prepare the way of the Lord,
make straight his paths.”

There are a lot of voices out there. TV, movies, music, even our peers try to lead us to happiness, but what voice should we listen to? It sounds cliche, but God is the path to our happiness...it's His voice we should follow.

Why? Because the things that look so good in the media and in those around us really aren't. Things like drugs or sex, things contrary to God's will for us, might be fun at first, but they do nothing to fulfill us. They carry us away from God, and strain our human relationships as well. Promiscuity is especially harmful because it steadily erodes our ability to truly love. There are lots of other harmful things out there too, and the world's system has many ways of making them look great. We have to be vigilant, and open to our conscience to lead us to the light.

But how do we know God's voice? It takes practice...but can be done. Prayer is a great place to start, giving 5 minutes a day to God, and slowly adding more time as you go. Reading from the Bible - which is God's word - is another way to listen to him. In time, everyone can come to know His voice if only they listen.

Let Jesus be the voice in your desert, whatever that might be.