A Simple Way To Pray
By Sadeer Farjo
There are so many different ways to pray. A simple way that works for me is to read a short sentence from the Gospel, usually one that Jesus has spoke and then I pray "speak LORD for your servant is listening"1 Samuel 3:9 and "speak Lord for your adopted son is listening." Then I do just that, I listen.
Many people have a hard time listening. I am often asked how do I listen? Simply put, I stop talking, shut my mouth, and listen. When I find my mind wandering I just go back and read the Gospel verse and go back to listening.
Does God speak to me? The answer is yes. Does God speak to me with audible words? No. So then how does God speak to me? Read More...
How to Persevere?
We all have it in us, in a sense, to push forward. We can motivate ourselves in many ways to get done what is necessary in life. Sometimes we are motivated by things that are good and other times things we think are good. However we when think, by our own strength only, we can persevere then we shall find ourselves terribly lacking. We often fool ourselves into thinking that we are strong enough to do everything on our own. We busy ourselves with so much and give little time for prayer, reading scripture or writings of the saints. The struggle becomes much more evident when we find ourselves battling against particular temptations that we are accustomed to being enslaved by. Most of us fall into similar patterns of rise, fall, confess, penance, and right back to rise, fall, confess and penance again. This vicious cycle may be an honest attempt at perseverance in holiness but it also may be the fruits of a lethargic soul whose conscience is withering away. This kind of cycle can lead, if not tempered with spiritual warfare, to an openness to commit sin without fear because confession is accessible. In this mindset, absolution holds no assistance for this lost soul as there is no sign of true contrition nor any desire to amend sinful ways. But aside from this, we must recognize that the struggle, not the tolerance, against sin is necessary. Take notice that Jesus told His disciples that He came to “free captives from their captivity”. Jesus is saying outright that those that commit sin are slaves to sin. Think of it if you will, a human being enslaved by something? You have lost your freedom because of this. Does this not upset you? Does this not make you want to rise up against your cruel slave master? Then do so by going to the one who breaks the bonds and chains of the very sin you have given room to operate in your life!
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Catholic Solutions for Anger
“Be angry, and sin not. Let not the sun go down upon your anger.” - Eph. 4:26. Is it so wrong to be angry? Can we not be righteously angry when we are seemingly surrounded by incomprehensible wickedness? Well, let's study Ephesians 4:26 for a moment, the Haydock Commentary reads,
Ver. 26. Be angry, and sin not, as it is said Psalm iv. 5. Anger, as a passion of the mind, may proceed from a good motive and be guided by reason; as our Saviour, Christ, (Mark iii. 5.) is said to have looked about at the Jews with anger, i.e. with a zeal against their blindness and malice. --- Let not the sun go down upon your anger. If moved to anger, return without delay to a calmness of mind and temper. (Witham) --- Be angry when reason or necessity compels you; but even then, so restrain your anger that you neither offend God nor scandalize your neighbour. Moreover, lay it aside as soon as you are able, so that the sun go not down upon your anger. (Jansenius)
Notice that the early Church Fathers, as well as Christ Himself, understood that there is a place for anger, even in a righteous setting. This 'righteous anger' often comes from zeal or profound love and obedience for the faith that when the faith is trod upon swells great anger for the zealous one. But this anger is not to linger nor is it to swell so as to offend God or neighbor (become a sin) as unbridled anger does give place to the demonic influence and possible infiltration. But what if we are in that very temptation of anger that would offend God and neighbor? What shall we do to overcome? Read More...
Gaining Courage
The principal act of courage is to endure and withstand dangers doggedly rather than to attack them. - St. Thomas Aquinas
We find ourselves constantly bombarded by unbelievable forces of ignorance and outright wickedness. Depraved and deplorable acts of unmerciful hatred committed against the innocent and helpless as well as degenerate minds of tyrants gaining ground in both secular and religious frameworks. No matter where we look, it seems as though bad news is never too far away. The path our country is on barely gives a spark of hope as to a restoration of truth, justice, mercy, and Christ centered communities. It seems as though all hope is lost or is it? What does it mean to be courageous especially in the face of all the enemies of true religion and peace among men? How can we rediscover courage in a land seemingly stricken with despair and lawlessness? Read More...
Faithful Priest Encourages Prayer, Fasting, & Voting For Upcoming Election
Fr. Ben Kosnac is the pastor of Ss. Cyril and Methodius Slovak Catholic Church located in Sterling Heights, Michigan. Fr. Ben explains what we need to do as American Catholics when choosing the president of our country. For the presidential election, Father Ben encourages his parishioners to pray the Rosary in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament, fast, and vote. Fr. Ben clearly outlines that when we are voting for the president we are not merely voting for one person. Rather, with the President comes the Vice-President, Supreme Court Justices, and other federal officials. Also outlined in the video are the 5 nonnegotiables: abortion, euthanasia, embryonic stem cell research, cloning, and so-called "homosexual marriage." Fr. Ben goes on to explain that it is important for Catholics to vote to promote certain goods. He also articulates that it's also important to vote to diminish certain evils. I encourage everyone to watch the video.
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Fasting Teaches, Self-Control, Patience, & Discipline
There are so many ways to follow after God. That is another way of saying there are many holy things you can do to please God. Some of these things can be easy and others can be hard to do. These “things” that we can do to please God are what Catholic's call penance. Penance is the holy work of giving to God our love and attention for the good of all people. Penance is also used as a way of 'paying for the cost of sin'. Let me explain with an example, let's say you were playing baseball and you threw the ball into my window and broke it! So you come to my house to tell me how sorry you were and let's say that I forgave you for breaking my window. Great! So all is well right? Well, not really because the window is still broken. Who do you think is going to have to pay for that window? It would be good 'penance' to work in some way so that you can assist me in getting the window fixed. In this way, you are not only forgiven but you also do something with that new found forgiveness and increase that goodness by doing something right. This is the same thing we experience in the Sacrament of Confession where we come to confess our sins with great sorrow for sinning (to have contrition) and the Priest gives Absolution (Priestly authority to forgive sins) but before the Priest forgives you, he asks you to do a penance that will help pay the cost of your sins. For as Scripture says, “the wages of sin are death” so therefore we do many penances for the sake of holiness but also to bring holiness to our lives that we may enter fully into Christ. As I said before, there are many different kind of penances, some easy and some not. One of those difficult ones is to 'fast'.
Read More...Offer It Up
Offer It Up
We all have bad days. Sometimes we do not get what we want and that can make us sad or even upset. When we go through a hard time we usually call that a suffering. When we suffer it is hard to know what to do. We can even wonder why we have to suffer in the first place. Questions on what to do and why bad things happen to good people can sometimes make us confused and angry. And when our emotions are hurt we need to do the best thing to make us feel better. This is one of many reasons why we pray to God for help. But how should we pray especially when we are hurt? Read More...
On Loneliness
As Christ once said, “In the world you shall have distress,” or in other words, while we live on this earth we will always be faced with sufferings. Of the many crosses we are sure to bear, loneliness is one of those sufferings. Though there are many kinds of sufferings to be had which vary in severity depending on the circumstance; loneliness altogether is a silent pain. For each of us at one time or another has experienced harsh loneliness. The pain of missing companions or having no one to turn to for every day struggles or even just to talk. How are we to cope with such an emptiness especially through the eyes of the Church? As stated before, Christ did say that in this world we would have much distress but rest of that scripture reads, “but have confidence, I have overcome the world,” where that might sound 'easier-said-than-done', there is great truth in this.
Catholic Solution For Gaining Patience
“Patience is power.
Patience is not an absence of action;
rather it is "timing"
it waits on the right time to act,
for the right principles
and in the right way.”
- Bishop Fulton Sheen
“Let nothing perturb you, nothing frighten you. All things pass. God does not change. Patience achieves everything.”
- St. Teresa of Ávila
Have patience with all things, But, first of all with yourself.
- St. Francis De Sales
In a world such as ours with all the troubles that come within an inch from our noses to a mile away, how are we supposed to exercise patience? Some of us are naturally inclined to be low key and do not let life's little (or big) downs get to them. However, there others that seem to have been born with a short fuse and any amount of spark can make an explosion. Where this may be so for most, there are those that often vary in between the two extremes. Either way, patience is hard to come by on a daily basis. Though this may be true, we must understand that patience is not just having a good mood or even forcing it to make it through something but rather a virtue. We lose sight of this reality especially when we are in the heat of a moment that requires patience. Remember, that those that are deemed Blessed or Canonized as Saints did not only perform heavenly miracles but they also practiced virtues. These virtues that were practiced did not come by their own strength but by graces given by God. And guess what? Those holy men and women ASKED for the graces!
Read More...Catholic Solution For Anxiety
We are accustomed to anxiety and stress all too well. There is rarely a moment in our days where we are not faced with some level of anxiety or pain. The stress of duties imposed upon you whether it be of work, family, friends, etc. can be overwhelming. However, inevitably there shall come a time when great distress finds us and renders us pinned down in absolute chaos. These are of the anxieties that are deep reaching and often most difficult to withstand such as a death of a loved one or financial/emotional/spiritual ruin. What then shall the Catholic do under seemingly diabolical attacks on our peace and well-being?
In a word, we are to pray. Now this is not a 'cop-out' for lack of better terms but rather the ultimate strategy against despair. We simply cannot afford to forgo prayer and expect to be able to deal with life's various twists and turns. This of course means we pray whatever the 'season' may be in our lives; whether the joys of springtime or the pains of winter we are to give place to God as master of our lives. It is graces that we must seek in order to be given the faith we need to carry our crosses. Keep in mind, there has never been a time our Lord ever said to us that to follow Him was to be a walk in the park. Instead, Jesus made it clear that to follow Him meant to, “Deny yourself, pick up your cross, and follow me daily.”
So, prayer is the answer but first, let's recall the easier days of your life when stress was at an all time low if any at all. Do you remember how easy it was to pray?
On Fear
One of my favorite verses in Holy Scripture can be read in 1 John 4:18, which says,
“Fear is not in charity: but perfect charity casteth out fear, because fear hath pain. And he that feareth, is not perfected in charity.”
Now this is not to say that fear has no place in a man but in what light does man take in fear that actually assists him? Going back to 1 John 4:18, the Disciple that Jesus loved is confirming the necessity of charity or love that drives out fear. One would naturally think the opposite of fear is courage but the word courage itself is more of a word than a strategy in conquering fear, rather love is the strategy that deadens the sting of fear. So as we continue to regard fear that is to naturally weave in and out of our finite minds, keep charity in mind as the decisive plan for victory over fear.
But again, in what light does man take in fear that actually assists him and what unfortunately of fear that destroys him? What are we “allowed” to fear and continue to avoid worshiping in vain? I ask these questions to call to mind the fears that bind you at this very moment so that you may in secret find the solution, who is Jesus Christ. Shall we legitimately fear things and still claim faith in Him who is always faithful regardless of our inconsistencies? Fear of losing a job or not being able to provide for those we have charge over? Or fear of not meeting others expectations? Indeed fear has its place in our lives as it is a healthy reminder of our boundaries and limits to what may bring ruin if we were to exhaust them. Such as the fear of suicide as this goes against the moral law and traditionally speaking is grave matter. The fear of hell, while considered imperfect contrition for sin is quite useful indeed to stave oneself away from malignant choices in life. But do we rather fear losing grace or sullying our innocence? Do we fear for the souls of others who, if we do as Christ asks us to, see others on a road to destruction? This isn't pride that we who are so holy and they who are so evil so as to fear for them and not ourselves. Certainly Not! Do also fear for your own soul as you, oh fickle one, are ready to lie, steal if opportunity presents itself, lust when no one is looking, procrastinate in ones duty in life or not at all, you who are so ready to judge and think nothing of it. What shall you fear? Fear him who can destroy the body and soul. Fear also the perfection of Him who reigns supreme as master, king, and lord of all creation. For as we look at ourselves as though dimly in a mirror we see the inglorious nature of man, deaf, dumb, and blind to most spiritual realities that would have without a doubt solidify our faith if we only had one small glimpse at the face of God while we walked the earth.
EFFECTS OF SO CALLED "GAY MARRIAGE"
- It can bring huge financial and emotional stress: Homosexuals can sue people who are exercising their religious beliefs. For example, a heterosexual married couple with children who do not want to rent a room in their own family household to homosexuals could be sued for discrimination based on "sexual orientation." This can incur significant financial and emotional stress upon the family, not to mention the "prior restraint" effect of the fear of being sued which results in a family not renting out a room.
- The health risks are enormous to themselves and others: The fact is that homosexuals do not live as long as heterosexuals due to the health risks associated with the lifestyle, and billions of dollars are spent annually in health care for them. But the HIV/AIDS epidemic is not only in the homosexual community. It has crossed over to the heterosexual community. Whether or not you want to say that HIV/AIDS is a homosexual disease, the fact is that it is highly prevalent among the gay and lesbian community due to their great number of sex partners. The collateral damage to the rest of society, as far as health risks, cannot be denied.
- Gay Marriage means having the morals of the minority forced upon the majority: The percentage of homosexuals in society is less than 5%, yet it is being forced upon the other 95% of society in movies, TV, literature, and political periods.
- Gay Marriage means a redefinition of sexual morality, and with it other sexually related practices will be affected and this can be harmful.
- Gay Marriage reduces the number of children born in society and we need a stable population base to operate properly; therefore, society can be harmed.
- Gay Marriage affects people spiritually: The stress imposed on religious people by forcing them to "accept" and/or support homosexual practice and/or intimidate them into silence harms a person's spiritual and emotional health.
- It forces government to get involved in changing laws which automatically affect everyone in society. Homosexuality is being force fed to our youth via the education system. Civil unions are being recognized by employers which effect co-workers, money payouts, work time, etc. It exposes adopted children within potential homosexual unions to ridicule from others.
We Should be Encouraging Our Childern to be Saints!
Parents always seem to be encouraging their kids to be lawyers, doctors, dentists, or some other lucrative and worldly dignified career. While there is nothing wrong with being successful and educated, society tends to care more about worldly success than on eternal life.
The holy scriptures are very clear on this issue.
Lay not up to yourselves treasures on earth: where the rust, and moth consume, and where thieves break through and steal. [20] But lay up to yourselves treasures in heaven: where neither the rust nor moth doth consume, and where thieves do not break through, nor steal.
Matthew 6:20
What should kids become when they grow up? The answer is simple whatever God wants them to be. It is very important then to encourage your child to pray and act upon God’s will. To put it simply we need to encourage our children to grow up and become saints! Nothing short of that will do.