Christ has no hands but our hands to
do His work today
He has no feet but our feet to lead
men in the way
He has no tongue but our tongue to
tell men how He died
He has no help but our help to bring
them to His side.
We are the only Bible the careless
the world will read,
We are the sinner’s gospel; we are the
scoffer’s creed;
We are the Lord’s last message, given
in word and deed;
What if the type is crooked? What if
the print is blurred?
What if our hands are busy with other
work than His?
What if our feet are walking where
sin’s allurement is?
What if our tongue is speaking of
things His lips would spurn?
How can we hope to help Him or
welcome His return?
—Annie Johnston Flint
St. Paul declares, "I pray always with joy in my every prayer for all of you, because of your partnership for the gospel... And this is my prayer: that your love may increase ever more and more in knowledge and every kind of perception... so that you may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ..." (Philippians 1: 4 - 6, 9 - 10) At the beginning of this Sunday's Mass, in the Collect, we pray "may no earthly undertaking hinder those who set out in haste to meet your Son."
St. Paul provides us with a formula, that when used faithfully, nothing can hinder or stop from uniting us with Christ:
- Choose to be partners with Christ and the Saints in spreading the Gospel, by living the Gospel.
- Ask God for the grace to grow in Love, Wisdom, Mercy, Peace, Purity, and Kindness.
- Use the Sacraments of Penance and Holy Communion to grow in every virtue and become more and more a partner with Christ and the Saints.
Advent focuses on the coming of Christmas and the coming of Christ. If we follow this simple three-fold formula, not only will we be ready for Christ and Christmas, but we will help everyone around us be more prepared as well.
10/10/21
"Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, 'How hard it is for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God!'... 'It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for one who is rich to enter the kingdom of God." (Mark 10: 23-24) The young man to whom Jesus was talking was stunned, "his face fell, and he went away sad, for he had many possessions." (Mark 10: 22) Does that mean that those who are "poor" are automatically destined for the Kingdom of God? Is Jesus taking a stance against income disparity and calling for a socio-economic revolution? Are possessions inherently evil and does wealth automatically disqualify one from the Kingdom? The quick answer to all those questions is an emphatic "NO!"
The problem with having many possessions and much wealth is that the "possessions and wealth" can take possession of us. The more we have, the more we run the risk of being controlled by our possessions. The money and "things" can become a fixation and can become the focal point in our lives. Being a follower of Christ, a disciple of the Lord, means that we submit ourselves completely to God's will and grace. In doing so we gain the True Freedom of being sons and daughters of our Heavenly Father. As we look around our world, we may fantasize about being very wealthy, but all of us know that "Money cannot buy happiness and does not guarantee success or a happy life!" Jesus warns us, "What does it profit a man if he gains the whole world, but forfeits his soul?" (Mark 8: 36) The tragedy is that oftentimes the more money that people have, the more the Devil tricks them into thinking that nothing else matters, so God, faith, virtue, worship, and even family become less and less important. The commandment is "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength" (Deut. 6: 5). When we give our all to God and get our priorities right, we discover that God has so expanded our hearts and minds that we are able to love our family, friends, and all humanity as God has commanded us to do. Therein lies true happiness and eternal riches!
“Charity is certainly greater than any rule. Moreover, all rules must lead to charity.”
-St. Vincent de Paul
“On the question of relating to our fellowman – our neighbor’s spiritual need transcends every commandment. Everything else we do is a means to an end. But love is an end already, since God is love.”
-St. Teresia Benedicta (Edith Stein)
"Circumstances are beyond our human control, but our conduct is in our own power."
- Benjamin Disrael (19th century British Prime Minister)
PRAYER FOR HEAVENLY-MINDEDNESS
O merciful God, I pray that you fill my heart with the graces of your Holy Spirit; with love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, and temperance. Teach me to love those who hate me, to pray for those who despitefully use me; that I may be your child, O heavenly Father, who makes the sun shine on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. In adversity grant me grace to be patient; in prosperity keep me humble; may I guard the door of my lips; may I lightly esteem the pleasures of this world, and thirst after heavenly things. Through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.
St. Anselm of Canterbury (+1109)
Something Beautiful to Help Us Pray
(This poem is from an 11th century anonymous Irish verse, translated by Eleanor Hull.)
It were my soul's desire
To see the face of God;
It were my soul's desire
To rest in His abode.
It were my soul's desire
To imitate my King,
It were my soul's desire
His ceaseless praise to sing.
Grant, Lord, my soul's desire,
Deep waves of cleansing sighs;
Grant, Lord, my soul's desire
From earthly cares to rise.
This still my soul's desire
Whatever life afford --
To gain my soul's desire
And see Thy face, O Lord
Welcome to Our Spiritual Guidance Page. Weekly messages and prayers from our Pastor, Fr. Foley, along with poetry and quotes from the saints, will be posted here!