I ran across this beautiful prayer and I thought I should post it for all to see. We’ve all had that experience when everything around us looks dark. Some of you may be going through it now. Even though we go through difficult times in life, it’s important to remember that the Lord is right there with us. In the same way that the Apostles woke Him while He slept in the storm-tossed boat (Mt 8:23-27, Mk 4:35-41, Lk 8:22-25), we should never hesitate to call upon Him when we are lonely, troubled or afraid. Ask Him to fill your heart with His peace and to help you carry your cross. Receive Him in the Eucharist and listen to Him speak through the Bible. It won’t be long before you start to feel His peace…even in the midst of the storm!

Does this sound familiar? You have recently come to a greater appreciation of the Catholic faith and have been ?walking on air?. Through the study of Church teaching and Sacred Scripture, you are getting to know Jesus as a personal friend. You now understand that in the Mass, you are mystically transported to Calvary and can offer yourself to the Father along with Jesus. You may be a recent convert or a ?revert? to the faith and can?t wait to share the ?Good News? with others. You decide that Thanksgiving dinner would be the perfect setting for your evangelization efforts. After all, you are together with family that you may not have seen in some time, everyone is in a thankful mood, there?s even a good chance that you?ll say grace before eating?what better time to share the beauty of the Catholic faith?

As you sit down for dinner with (former Catholics) Uncle Henry and Aunt Margaret, your cousin Vinnie and his live-in girlfriend, Carla, and assorted other family members, you wait for just the right opportunity. Before you even get the chance, your Uncle starts talking about his new non-denominational Christian church and how he never knew about the Bible when he was a Catholic. Aunt Margaret chimes in about how their new church has better music, friendlier people and none of that ?Catholic guilt?. Vinnie decides that it?s a good time to bring up the fact that the Catholic Church has to ?get out of the dark ages? or else keep losing people. You try to defend the Church and get asked, ?Where is purgatory in the Bible?? or ?How come the Church teaches that you?ll go to hell if you eat meat on Fridays during Lent?? Dejectedly, you say that you?re not sure and turn your attention to finishing your mashed potatoes and corn. What went wrong? Shouldn?t it be easier to share your faith?

Rather than be discouraged, we should console ourselves with the fact that Jesus predicted that we would be ?hated by all nations? because of His name (Mt 24:9). He also told us that He did not come to establish peace on earth, but division (Lk 12:51). The Lord?s strong words remind us that we should expect resistance when we talk about Christ and His Church. From the Old Testament days until now, people do not like the idea of being told what to do, especially if it involves ceasing their sinful behavior!

That being the case, here are some simple, non-threatening techniques that we can use to evangelize, especially with family and friends:

Set A Good Example ? If we aren?t living holy lives than our evangelization efforts will be ignored. People should be able to see that there is something different and desirable about our lives. That something is actually a ?someone? ? Jesus Christ! As St. Francis of Assisi stated, ?Preach the gospel at all times; if necessary use words.?

Pray ? This often neglected step is actually the most important. We should pray before, during and after our evangelization efforts. We often fool ourselves into believing that we are converting the hearts of people when, in reality, the Holy Spirit is doing the work. If we know there will be non-believers at our Thanksgiving dinner, we should pray for the Lord to open their hearts to His truth. When we get there, we should pray again ? especially if the topic of religion arises. We should continue to pray for them even after we?ve left. There?s no limit to the power of the Holy Spirit and we should continue to turn to Him.

Use Personal Experience ? Rather than try to tell people what they should be doing, it is much more effective to teach by personal experience. ?I love going to Mass on Sunday because it fills me with peace? sounds a lot more desirable than ?you better go to Mass or you?ll end up in hell?. ?When I read the Bible, I feel like God talks directly to me? sounds more inviting than ?how come you don?t read the Bible?? While there are occasions when we must ?tell it like it is? (especially with our children), it?s often a good idea to start out slow and get more direct if necessary.

Always Be Charitable ? One of the biggest mistakes that we make in sharing our faith is to forget to be charitable. While we may start off nicely enough, one negative comment can turn things ugly in a hurry. While St. Peter tells us that we should ?Always be ready to give an explanation to anyone who asks you for a reason for your hope? (1 Pt 3:15), he reminds us that we should ?do it with gentleness and reverence? (1 Pt 3:16). Likewise, St. Paul cautions us that if we ?speak in human and angelic tongues but do not have love?, we are ?a resounding gong or a clashing cymbal? (1 Cor 13:1).

Be Prudent – Sometimes it?s best to hold back on our advice until a better time. Preaching to a grieving widow about her husband?s sudden death being ?God?s will? should probably not be done at the funeral home. Instead, consoling her with ?I?m very sorry. Please let me know if there?s anything I can do? will be kinder and more effective. We should ask the Holy Spirit to guide us, in order that we know when it is appropriate to evangelize.

Be Patient – Many of us who have undergone major conversions often suffer from ?selective amnesia?, forgetting that God has been patient with our shortcomings for many years. Now that we have a closer relationship with the Lord, we expect others to arrive at our level of spirituality ? instantly! We need to be as patient with others as God is with us. Also, we shouldn?t become discouraged if our initial efforts don?t bear immediate fruit. Our job is simply to plant the seeds of faith. The Holy Spirit will then ?water them? and cause them to grow.

While it is true that the Thanksgiving holiday can often cause some awkward and strained family encounters, it does provide a great opportunity for fellowship and, even evangelization. As you enjoy your Thanksgiving meal with your family and friends this year, ask the Lord to grant you the wisdom to know when and how to share the ?Good News? and to give you the ability to always be charitable when doing so!

I don’t know about you, but whenever I read this I am overcome with a feeling of peace…

The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
In verdant pastures he gives me repose;
Beside restful waters he leads me;
he refreshes my soul.

He guides me in right paths
for his name?s sake.
Even though I walk in the dark valley
I fear no evil; for you are at my side
With your rod and your staff
that give me courage.

You spread the table before me
in the sight of my foes;
You anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.

Only goodness and kindness follow me
all the days of my life;
And I shall dwell in the house of the LORD
for years to come.

In an attempt to reach out to those who have left or feel alienated by the Catholic Church, some individuals have taken the approach of “watering down” the teachings of the Church. In this article for Catholic Exchange, I discuss the reasons why this is not a good idea. Instead of changing the truth, we need to present it in a positive way.

Let me know what you think…

http://catholicexchange.com/2010/11/03/140223/

…realize that you’re saying you expect to spend eternity in hell!

Today the Church celebrates the solemnity of All Saints. Many don’t realize that the primary purpose of this holy day is to celebrate all the unknown saints. It is a reminder to each of us that we are all called to be saints. Most of us will not be officially canonized, many of us will have to spend time in purgatory first, but we should all aim to be residents of heaven one day.

On this holy day, let’s call on the intercession of ALL the saints in heaven, some of whom may be our family members, friends, and even people that we would never expect to be there. Above all, don’t sell yourself short. When asked if you expect to be a saint…say “YES”!!!

The picture above was taken at the Cistercian Monastery rosary garden and features my daughters, Mary and Elizabeth, posing with statues of their famous namesakes. This is one of our favorite family destinations. The girls love to walk around the garden and comment on the statues which depict each of the mysteries of the rosary.

As I do most days, I paid a visit to the rosary garden today and it was quiet?very quiet. While the peaceful serenity normally allows me to better converse with the Lord and meditate upon the rosary mysteries, today?s visit was marked by an unusual mixture of sadness and gratitude. I remembered the last time that Eileen and I took the girls to the garden and what a happy time it was. The quietness became almost deafening as I walked along the familiar garden path recalling how Mary and Elizabeth skipped, laughed, talked about the mysteries and even created some dialog between the statues. I started to think about all of the pleasure that the girls bring to our lives and how lonely we would be without them. My sadness turned to gratitude and I thanked the Lord for the gift of Mary and Elizabeth.

Thirteen years ago on this day, Eileen and I welcomed Mary and Elizabeth into the world. Many of you are already familiar with the story of how the girls were not expected to be born alive, but they defied the odds (and the doctors? predictions) and today are healthy and beautiful young ladies. As a father, I couldn?t be prouder of the girls. They are kind, loving and always try to do what?s right. In today?s world that?s not always easy, but as long as they stay close to Jesus and turn to their famous namesakes for help they?ll continue to do just fine.

Happy 13th Birthday, Mary and Elizabeth and thanks for bringing such happiness to our lives?We love you!!!

While there are no guarantees that ?Ol? Blue Eyes? was referring to anything spiritual, it?s a point that all Catholics should remember. The Knights of Columbus recognize this important fact with their motto, Tempus Fugit, Memento Mori (Latin for ?Time Flies, Remember Death?). At first glance, this saying seems macabre and depressing. We all know that death is inevitable, so why should we dwell on it? In the case of the Knights, they were initially created to provide for the needs of Catholic families whose husbands have passed on. As a result, they established a life insurance program to ensure the financial security of the remaining family members. Most would agree that death can have adverse financial consequences and that planning for its arrival can help to mitigate those consequences. As a result, many individuals have life insurance policies to lessen the financial impact when a family member dies. Additionally, many individuals prepare a will to provide for the distribution of their possessions and the arrangement of their personal affairs. As with life insurance, this is often done when the person is still young and death isn?t imminent. Even though people might not be at risk of death according to the statistics, they often don?t want to take a chance because of the importance of having their financial affairs in order.

While making plans to ensure your financial affairs are resolved upon your death is certainly important, what about your spiritual affairs? Scripture tells us that we will be judged by God after our death (Hebrews 9:27) and a determination will be made as to where we will spend eternity. Unlike financial matters, which only affect this life, our final judgment affects our eternal life, which will last forever. Having said that, wouldn?t it follow that we should spend as much (if not more) time preparing for it as we do with the disposition of our possessions?

It?s an unfortunate fact that many people fail to get their spiritual affairs organized in preparation for their death. This can be due to several reasons. For one thing, we often choose to avoid thinking about the eventuality of our death. For many, death is unpleasant, painful, mysterious and uncertain. As a result, it?s often easier to ignore it and continue living our lives. However, when we do think about it, we often discover the motivation to repent from our sinful ways and address our shortcomings. When the Lord proclaims ?Pencils down!? on our lives, the time for repentance is over! The Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC) reminds us we have a limited time to work out our salvation:

The importance of ?repenting while there is still time? was a belief of the early Church and can be seen in the writings of the Early Church Fathers. The oldest extant Church homily, delivered in 150 AD, emphasizes this urgency of this message. Bearing the name of St. Clement of Rome (the fourth pope), this work is generally considered to be an anonymous homily originating in the Church of Corinth:

In a similar way, St. Cyprian of Carthage issued this stern warning in the 3rd century:

For many people, an extraordinary event is required to make them think about the reality of death. As an example, imagine that you are have just been diagnosed with a terminal illness. Your doctor estimates that you have one month to live. Assume also that you have some moral shortcomings in your life: Long standing grudges, a broken family relationship, an imperfect prayer life and possibly some serious mortal sins. Suddenly, you have the motivation to correct those issues that you have neglected for many years. The uncertainty of what follows after death will often cause even the most hardened sinner to repent?and in a hurry! Now, concentrate on your current life for a minute and note the difference. For the vast majority of us, while we acknowledge that we will die one day ? we don?t think it will be soon. This problem is especially prevalent among the young and healthy. We need to develop a sense of urgency when it comes to preparing for death. Putting it off until the future may have disastrous consequences. The Catechism emphasizes the importance of being prepared for death at all times by quoting from Thomas a Kempis? spiritual classic, The Imitation Of Christ:

We often deceive ourselves into believing that we are in control of our own destiny. On his program ?Life Is Worth Living?, the late Archbishop Fulton Sheen once discussed those individuals who are afraid to fly in airplanes, thinking that they are much safer on the ground. He made the point that if it was ?our time?, it wouldn?t make any difference whether we were in the air or on land. Thinking anything else illustrates an exaggerated sense of our self-importance and gives us a false sense of control. Jesus is very clear about the uncertainty of our death when He states that we must be ready, for ?the Son of man is coming at an hour you do not expect? (Lk 12:40, Mt 24:44).

Each day we need to be sure that we are adequately prepared to meet God face to face. A quick glance at the daily newspaper or watching a few minutes of the daily news, will remind us that many people die unexpectedly each day. Do accident or murder victims expect to die suddenly? Probably not. Is it possible that we could experience the same fate? Absolutely. Only God knows when we will breathe our last breath. Even people with terminal illnesses don?t know exactly when they will die.

Despite this, the sad reality is that many people are not sufficiently prepared for death and the judgment that follows. We live in a society where killing the unborn is considered the ?right to choose?, where homosexuality and it?s ersatz ?marriage? is viewed as a civil right, where chastity has become optional and where Mass attendance and obeying the Church?s doctrinal teachings has become a ?matter of personal conscience?. As a result of our disobedience, many individuals are living in the state of mortal sin. The danger of living in this condition becomes obvious when one considers the official Church teaching on the matter:

My intent is not to scare anyone, but rather to call to mind the brevity of our lives. If you are reading this article, it?s not too late for you! Each new day is a gift from God and another chance to work out our salvation. A daily examination of conscience and a firm resolution to refrain from sin will put us on the road to eternal life with the Lord. Take advantage of the opportunity and don?t wait until it?s too late!

In this, the second in a series on the Fathers of the Church, Pope Benedict XVI provides an introduction into such influential figures as St. Leo the Great, St. Isidore of Seville, St. Bede the Venerable, St. John Damascene and many more. Collected from his weekly talks, each chapter gives the reader an insight into a different Church Father. Picking up where the first volume left off, this book covers the period from the 5th to the 12th century. In addition to the better known figures, the Holy Father also sheds some light on lesser known individuals, such as St. Theodore the Studite, Ambrose Aurpert and St. Odo of Cluny.

Many people have entered the Catholic Church after reading the writings of the Church Fathers, as they make it apparent just how Catholic the early Church was! As with any of Pope Benedict’s writings, you can’t go wrong and I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to come to a better understanding of the Catholic faith.

(This review was written as part of the Catholic Book Reviewer program for The Catholic Company. Visit The Catholic Company to find more information on The Fathers Volume II. Also be sure to check out their great selection of baptism gifts!)

In today’s politically correct society, many Catholics feel that it is not appropriate to share their faith with others. This is based upon the idea that it is offensive to impose our beliefs on others. Somehow, sharing the truth of the Catholic Faith has become associated with intolerance. Unfortunately, this is not the teaching of the Church. As Catholics, we are directed to share our faith with others. Why? Because we possess the fullness of truth and should not keep it to ourselves. There are many people who don’t know about Jesus and need to experience the peace associated with following Him.

The following verses from the Second Reading of today’s Mass should make our mission very clear:

This is good, and it is acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself as a ransom for all, the testimony to which was given at the proper time. (1 Timothy 2: 3-6)

Do you really want to keep the “Good News” to yourself?