Why Are You Anxious?

I'm a worrier by nature. I don't want to be, but it comes so easily. That's why I always enjoy the reassurance of this past Sunday's Gospel.

Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink, or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds in the sky; they do not sow or reap, they gather nothing into barns, yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not more important than they? Can any of you by worrying add a single moment to your life-span?

I hear these words. I want so much to live them. But I seem to fight an internal voice that desperately wants to argue back, How could I not be anxious? Have you seen my schedule? Do you know how many people depend on me?

Maybe you've had some of these thoughts, or others like, Did you hear about my job? Have you seen my financial situation? Have you met my kids? Do you remember my spouse? Did you hear the diagnosis? Do you know how I feel about myself? What if I fail? What are we supposed to do now?

I find myself wanting to debate Jesus. Then I realize the message doesn't end at the "don't worry" part. If it did, I might be tempted to keep asking questions all day. But the Gospel goes on . . .

Your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given you besides. Do not worry about tomorrow; tomorrow will take care of itself. Sufficient for a day is its own evil.

That "BUT" is the kicker. The way I see it, as long as I'm trying to do it on my own, worrying is part of the deal. BUT, if I seek God's help, peace will follow. God will provide. My part is to get connected and stay connected. The more I seek God, the more that connection and my faith and ability to trust will grow.

I'm a work in progress. How about you?

[Gospel excerpt from Matthew 6:24–34]

Friday, Friday, Friday

Happy Friday! Without delay, here's a little something to put a smile on your face for the weekend.

1.

A drought came to a small village. It lasted for what seemed an eternity. The crops died, the well dried, and the people suffered greatly. Without rain, there seemed no end to the misery that befell them.

As the problem worsened, a group of townspeople decided to call a meeting. They felt there was no hope. Then a wise elder suggested that the community gather for prayer. The people seemed shocked by the thought. They were not accustomed to praying together and certainly not in a town meeting. But left with no other options, the group agreed and the prayer service was scheduled.

When the appointed day arrived, all the people of the village were present. They shuffled to the town square with eyes downcast, reluctant to have others think they believed in something that seemed so childish. Arms crossed, they mumbled to their neighbors and searched the crowd waiting for someone to begin.

The wise elder, seeing that all were present, came forward. He climbed upon a small stone bench so as to be better seen. Clearing his throat, he opened his mouth to speak, but instead broke into a wide smile. The crowd grew curious and followed his gaze to a small child seated near the back. She beamed with excitement. On the ground next to her, poised and ready for use, was a bright red umbrella.

The elder finally broke the silence. With tears in his eyes, he said, “This child has taught us a lesson in faith. We came here to pray for rain. She came expecting it.”

~adapted from unknown author

2. Music is powerful. It can transform and transport us. Just watch and see. (The last minute is priceless!)

3. Finally, if you ever doubt the amazing gift of creation, watch this.

God is good! Happy Friday!!

Signs of Faith

It's Thursday and that means it's time to learn more about the Catholic faith. Today's topic: The Sign of the Cross.

The Sign of the Cross is a gesture recognized by Catholics and non-Catholics alike. But what does it mean and why do Catholics do that?

While some may think the Sign of the Cross is just a warm-up exercise, it is in fact a prayer in itself. It came into use as a religious gesture in the Middle Ages and takes several forms. The most commonly recognized is when a person traces the cross with their right hand starting from the forehead, ("In the name of the Father . . .") down to the breastbone ("and of the Son . . .) followed by first the left and then the right shoulder ("and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.")

The Sign of the Cross is typically used to begin and end other prayers. However, it is also made upon entering and leaving the church and several times during the Mass. Some people even pray it in isolation as a blessing or means of comfort. So what is it that we are actually saying with when we make this prayer?

We make the Sign of the Cross as a profession of our faith and a statement of our belief in the Trinity--the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The gesture reminds us of Christ's sacrifice and the ultimate gift of our salvation while also professing to the world that we children of God. It is a public witness of our faith.

"This ancient Christian gesture reminds the baptized that we are sealed in Christ--we belong to him--and that we are to do all things in God's name."

[Source: Fr. Dominic Grassi and Joe Paprocki, Living the Mass: How One Hour a Week Can Change Your Life, Loyola Press ©2005]

In case you were wondering, the Sign of the Cross is not just a "Catholic thing." Other faiths, such as Eastern Orthodox, Anglicans, Lutherans, and a few other Protestant denominations also profess their faith using this gesture.

"Let us not then be ashamed to confess the Crucified. Be the Cross our seal made with boldness by our fingers on our brow and in everything; over the bread we eat, and the cups we drink; in our comings in, and goings out; before our sleep, when we lie down and when we awake; when we are on the way and when we are still. Great is that preservative; it is without price, for the poor's sake; without toil, for the sick, since also its grace is from God. It is the Sign of the faithful, and the dread of evils; for He has triumphed over them in it, having made a shew of them openly; for when they see the Cross, they are reminded of the Crucified; they are afraid of Him, Who hath bruised the heads of the dragon. Despise not the Seal, because of the freeness of the Gift; but for this rather honor they Benefactor."

~St. Cyril of Jerusalem, A.D. 315–386

Receive me, O Lord

Yesterday, you asked God to help you be open to what he wants to teach you. You committed yourself to the "listening" part. What do you do next?

In his book, The Spiritual Exercises, St. Ignatius of Loyola offers a vision of how to live, work, and love. By developing a more intimate relationship with God, you move from just listening to acting. At the end of the exercises, Ignatius shares a prayer he called the Suscipe. Drawn from monastic tradition, suscipe is the Latin word for "receive." In this particular prayer, you ask God to receive you. You offer yourself as the Lord's hands and feet on earth.

Suscipe

Take, Lord, and receive all my liberty,

my memory, my understanding, and my entire will--

all that I have and call my own.

You have given it all to me. To you, Lord, I return it.

Everything is yours; do with it what you will.

Give me only your love and your grace.

That is enough for me.

St. Ignatius of Loyola

This prayer is sometimes called radical. You can imagine why. If prayed with sincerity, you are making a powerful statement. You are giving yourself totally to God and letting him lead you where you are most needed. With this prayer, you commit yourself to be Christ for others. How will you live this today?

You Are Christ's Hands

Christ has no body now on earth but yours,

no hands but yours, no feet but yours,

Yours are the eyes through which is to look out

Christ's compassion to the world;

Yours are the feet with which he is

to go about doing good;

Yours are the hands with which he is

to bless us now.

St. Teresa of Avila

Are You Listening?

Prayer of St. Anslem of Canterbury

Teach me to seek you,

and reveal yourself to me as I seek;

for unless you instruct me

I cannot seek you,

and unless you reveal yourself

I cannot find you.

Let me seek you in desiring you;

let me desire you in seeking you.

Let me find you in loving you;

let me love you in finding you.

This is a great prayer to use at the beginning of each day. It gives us some perspective on our relationship with God.

After all, our faith journey is a conversation, not a monologue. We speak a lot, but do we ever listen? What is God trying to tell you today? Will you slow down long enough to hear? Think of what you might miss if you don't!

Happy President's Day!

Hope many of you are enjoying a President's Day holiday.

Today we remember and honor those who have guided our country throughout its history. We are blessed to live in a land where we have the right to speak freely about our most cherished beliefs and worship without fear of persecution. While we hold a definite distinction between church and state, a look at our former presidents makes clear that faith has and continues to play an important role in our nation and with its leaders.

Here are some interesting quotes and facts to ponder as we remember and honor our presidents.

"It is impossible to govern the world without God and the Bible. Of all the dispositions and habits which lead to political prosperity, religion and morality are indispensable supports."

George Washington (Sept. 17, 1796)

"The world is very different now. For man holds in his mortal hands the power to abolish all forms of human poverty and all forms of human life. And yet the same revolutionary beliefs for which our forbears fought are still at issue around the globe--the belief that all rights of man come not from the generosity of the state, but from the hand of God . . .Let every nation know, whether it wishes us well or ill, that we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe to assure the survival and the success of liberty . . .With a good conscience our only sure reward, with history the final judge of our deeds, let us go forth to lead the land we love, asking His blessing and His help, but knowing that here on earth God's work must truly be our own."

John F. Kennedy (Inaugural Address, Jan. 20, 1961)

"But what we can do, as flawed as we are, is still see God in other people, and do our best to help them find their own grace. That's what I strive to do, that's what I pray to do every day."

Barack Obama

Presidents can choose a Bible passage on which to solemnly swear at their inauguration. Here are a few chosen by different presidents.

Abraham Lincoln, 1865

"Judge not, that ye be not judged." (Matthew 7:1)

Franklin D. Roosevelt, 1933, 1937, 1941, 1945

"And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity" (1 Corinthians 13:13)

James E. Carter, 1977

"He hath showed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?" (Micah 6:8)

George W. Bush, 2005

"But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; they shall walk, and not faint." (Isaiah 40:31)

Happy Hour 2

It's Friday! Wow, this week flew by. Hope everyone enjoyed a sweet and loving Valentine's Day.

With all this love in the air, we thought it might be fun to start with a dose of reality. Does this sound familiar to anyone?


2. Here's a little something to consider at your next coffee break. . .



3. They say laughter is the best medicine. If so, we should all feel a little better after watching this guy! (Little language lesson: The words at the beginning "Kan man ha roligare?" are Swedish for "Can you have any more fun?")



Have a great weekend! Laugh, love, and live life to its fullest!