I just don't like it -- putting away Christmas, I mean. I must be the last person in our neighborhood to take down the tree, pack up the ornaments, and put away the garland and wreaths. I've pondered what it is I dislike about it, and it clearly is much more than the work of it all. It's seems deeper than that. Certainly the memories of Christmas "play forward" as they say, so it can't be that either. What
is it? What could it be?
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Today on our radio radio program Halley from Buffalo called in to talk about FOCA – the Freedom of Choice Act – promised to be passed by our president-elect. She told us that someone had listed in her parish’s Sunday bulletin the contact information for all of the senators and congressmen in her state so that parishioners could voice their concerns about all that FOCA entails.
Halley then made reference to a Blog article I had posted on November 3, 2008 just prior to our national election. In it, I talk about FOCA and what it proposes. Halley suggested that copies of this blog article be reproduced and shared with others to alert them to FOCA’s dangers.
I agreed and to that end I am offering you the article again. Please use it to help inform others. Simply make certain that you use the permission notice at its end. May we continue to work together to make certain FOCA does not become law.
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This past Sunday we celebrated the Feast of the Epiphany. For those of us familiar with the story, we may well have listened with expectation as the Gospel story drew to its conclusion. But the fact of the matter is, God is always seeking to draw us to Himself through His Son, Jesus Christ and, for that reason, He offers us many opportunities for “epiphanies” in our own lives – moments imbued with His presence that cause us to look at life people, circumstances, and life events – from a more heavenly perspective. These insights reveal to us that the moments of our lives are “shot through” with the Divine Life and offer us a glimpse, no matter how fleeting, of Trinitarian Love.
Following is a prayer time reflection that I recount in my book, Full of Grace: Women and the Abundant Life. It speaks of a moment in which I perceived the story of the Magi from a uniquely new vantage point. May it offer you moments of prayerful meditation, reflection, light, and joy.
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Perhaps one of the topics we get a lot of questions about is prayer. What is Christian prayer? How do I pray? Why does it seem God doesn't answer prayer? These are all good questions, and because prayer is foundational to the spiritual life, they deserve good answers. In this blog, I am going to answer many of these questions and refer to my book. Following are my answers to your requests on prayer.
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We have been receiving a lot of emails from listeners and viewers who are troubled by the outcome of our recent presidential election. Concern covers the gamet from outrage to fear -- outrage at what this election means from a pro-life standpoint, and fear that the principles of President-elect Obama will lead to policies radically different from the both the Judeo-Christian ethos and the vision of America's founding fathers.
It is true that the outcome of the election was an abysmal defeat for life. There is no way to caculate the advances toward a culture of death our nation can take in the next four years. And it is also true that the "talk" of the President-elect sounds as radically left as his voting record. But one thing is certain: we, who actively seek to restore a culture of life, must remain steadfast and we must remain firm. And we must continue to safeguard all that is God-honoring in the culture of our day. "Stand fast," says Sacred Scripture, and fast we must stand.
But what do we about the
fear part? How do we quell the growing apprehension and anxiety that underlies the tone of the emails and phone calls we are receiving?
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Last week Father Edmund Sylvia, C.S.C. and I were at EWTN taping the next ten programs for The Abundant Life television program. It was a great week filled with great guests and great program topics.
We explored some new topic selections as well as revisiting some that we have explored in the past. Topics include
Spiritual Warfare: Engaging the Battle; Bread of Life: The Eucharist and You; Working Out: Building, Strength, Exercising Faith; Don't you remember? -- Exercising the Memory the Christian Way; The Rosary and Healing the Heart; The Mystery of Faith in Signs and Symbols; Perinatal Death: A Special Kind of Sadness; Barren and Blessed: The Plight of Infertility; Pope Paul VI: The Man and His Legacy.
These new programs will begin to air in early February. A "thank you" to the crew and staff of EWTN, the staff of LHLA, Father Ed, and our guests for making this a truly smooth and great week!
Visit
www.womenofgrace.com to find out about the weekly program and its resources.
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National Election Day, 2008 is tomorrow. Perhaps at no other time in our national history has the fate of our nation hung in the balance so precipitously. And, perhaps at no other time in our national history has the moral fiber of our culture been so seriously threatened.
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On Saturday, October 25, Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church in Clermont, Florida presented a Women of Grace One-Day Conference in conjunction with Living His Life Abundantly' outreach for women. It was a remarkable day in the Lord as more than 250 women gathered at the parish to hear about the great gift of authentic femininity and God's mission for them in this 21st century.
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Good Day Everyone!
Other than yesterday's post, it has been a number of days since I last blogged. It isn't that I haven't had anything to share, it's just that I have been out of town, back in town, out of town again for the past couple of weeks.
At any rate, I was eager to get out the post yesterday because the topic has been burning in my heart. I have spoken on it at recent speaking engagements as well as on radio, and I wanted to get it out to you. Be sure to read the post,
Are You Concerned?
Today I thought I'd give you a potpourri of thoughts and findings I have been collecting for you over the past few weeks. I am going to post them under a variety of subject headings. As you read, remember me, Living His Life Abundantly, and Women of Grace in your prayers.
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I don't know about you, but I am concerned about the upcoming elections. Opportunity seems to be staring us in the face -- a real chance to move forward to restore a culture of life -- but yet many Catholics just don't seem to get it. And this gets me frustrated -- but not discouraged! God is in control, and He does have a plan. But that plan involves you and me. We have got to do our part.
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