Pope Callistus
Pope Callistus went from embezzling
to being a slave
to being imprisoned to the mines in Sardina
to Pope.
Quite a journey.
At the time,
There were those who taught that after Baptism,
If a person sinned, they could not be readmitted to Communion.
Callistus however taught that sinners could be readmitted to Communion if they repented.
Callistus had tasted the Mercy of God in Communion
And wanted to make sure that everyone else did too!
A Sign. Lk. 11:29-32
Many people look for signs from God;
But when the sign says
Exit now! Or Turn Around!
Many people ignore it.
They do not want to stop what they are doing
Or where they are going.
Jesus sends us signs everyday
But unless we are willing to read them
Or listen to them.
We will continue to go on our merry way;
Oblivious to the dead end to which it leads.
Grateful hearts Lk. 17:11-19
Why do we come to church?
First and foremost to give thanks.
That is what the word EUCHARIST means;
“To give thanks”
So where is everyone?
Many people do not come to God until they need something.
And then like the nine lepers who were cured;
Once they get what they want,
God never sees them again;
Until they need Him.
Giving thanks to God is not a “one time” thing.
For God blesses us everyday;
It’s just that we take all of these blessings for granted;
Until they disappear or we need something.
Every breath we take;
Every star in the sky;
Every talent we have;
Every morning we wake up;
Is a gift from God.
And usually only when we take our last breath;
Or the stars fall from the sky;
Or are talents run dry from old age or sickness;
Or we don’t wake up in the morning;
Do we finally realize how blessed we were.
A life lived in Thanksgiving to God;
Is a life that is truly alive;
To everyone and everything around them;
And it is all because of God!
And when one realizes this
One can’t wait to come to church
And thank the Lord!
Friday 27th Week of Ordinary Time
Jesus expelled Demons in the Gospel Lk.11:15-26
But Many people think that Demons are something from the Middle Ages and that Modern Society has moved beyond such things.
But they are just as real today!
Eating disorders, sexual and spousal abuse, drug addictions, bullying, body image, the past and other issues are possessing and haunting people.
Some people become depressed and even suicidal,
Fearful that they will never escape their Demons and their Darkside.
Jesus however is not afraid of Demons for He expels them.
There is freedom from the Demons that haunt us.
And it only comes from Jesus!
Just ask the Demons and they will tell you.
"For they know who He is, the Son of God!" Lk. 8:28
Feast of Pope John XXIII
Pope John XXIII was Pope at a time when the Church and Society were in great change.
The Second Vatican Council had begun and the Civil rights movement was just beginning
And all of it would lead to the tumultuous 1960’s.
And in the face of such change and upheaval,
Pope John would say,
“See everything, overlook a great deal, correct a little.”
There is really very little that one person, even a Pope can do.
So in the face of the changes taking place in our world,
Pope John gives us the same advice,
“See everything, overlook a great deal, and correct a little.”
And leave the rest to God!
Ask, Seek and Knock Lk 11:5-13
Jesus tells us to Ask and it will be given
Seek and we will find;
Knock and the door will be opened to us.
It sounds so simple then why do we not obtain what we want?
Because we ask for ourselves and not God’s Will;
We seek the things of this world rather than the Kingdom of Heaven
and we knock on the wrong doors.
Doors that we should never open!
We should be asking to know God’s Will.
seeking only to do God’s Will
And knocking on the door of our Heavenly Father’s House.
If we do We will be blessed good measure and overflowing into the folds of our hearts.
The Lord’s Prayer Lk. 11:1-4
The Lord’s Prayer is the perfect prayer
Because it begins with God.
Calling upon God as our Father and His Holy Name
And seeking to do His Will.
Then it continues by calling to mind our daily needs
For bread and forgiveness
And acknowledging the daily temptations and evils we face.
Concluding that God will deliver us.
All prayer should therefore begin acknowledging God
And seeking to do His Will,
And then proceed to our own needs.
For when we place God first in prayer
We will be confident that He will answer ours as well.
