Prayer for Charity: Prayer of the Day for Sunday, August 29, 2021

O my Jesus, Thou who art very Love,
enkindle in my heart that Divine Fire
which consumes the Saints and transforms them into Thee.

O Lord our God,
we offer Thee our hearts
united in the strongest and most sincere love of brotherhood;
we pray that Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament
may be the daily food of our souls and bodies;
that Jesus may be established as the center of our affections,
even as He was for Mary and Joseph.
Finally, O Lord, may sin never disturb our …

Lend Your Talents to God’s Kingdom

The parable of the talents can sometimes be a difficult Gospel to wrap our heads around … but it doesn’t have to be. I think that some people can get hung up on the fact that this Gospel passage is actually about money but it can be easily applied to our natural gifts and talents as well. 

I’m going to ask you to do something slightly uncomfortable right now. Stop for a moment, close your eyes, take a deep breath and identify what your God-given gifts are. This can be an uncomfortable practice because some of us (myself included) have trouble seeing what our gifts and talents are for a variety of different reasons. However, it is a necessary practice as each of us works to build up the Kingdom of God here on earth. 

Okay, so, deep breath. I am … Fill in the blank with your gifts and talents. Here’s a few of my own, since I know I need more practice identifying my gifts: I am a strong writer. I am organized. I am a good listener. Keep your list going as long as possible. And, if you are having trouble coming up with different gifts and talents (I know I did), don’t be afraid to invite the Holy Spirit into a moment of prayer, asking him for help in seeing your gifts the way that he sees them. 

Now, reflect on each individual talent that you listed. How does this gift help me to build up the Kingdom of God? For example, I am able to use my gift of writing to build up the Kingdom of God by writing different blogs like this to share the truths of the Gospel and our faith. I can also use this gift to the benefit of my parish by writing reflections for our bulletin and for editing different publications that we might put out. 

Finally, let’s reflect on our gifts and talents in light of today’s Gospel. How can we be like the first two servants who took their five and two talents, respectively, and made an additional five and two talents? In other words, how can we use our current gifts and talents and build upon them in order to further our work of building the Kingdom of God? This might take some time to discern but I encourage you – do not be afraid of the possibilities! Through the grace of God and with the power of the Holy Spirit, our gifts can do great things in the world. 

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Erin Madden is a Cleveland native and graduate of Franciscan University of Steubenville. She is passionate about the Lord Jesus, all things college sports and telling stories and she is blessed enough to get paid for all three of her passions. You can catch her on old episodes of the Clarence & Peter Podcast on YouTube as well as follow her on Twitter@erinmadden2016.

Feature Image Credit: Etienne Girardet, https://unsplash.com/photos/-ktUX4KHlU8

St. Augustine of Hippo: Saint of the Day for Saturday, August 28, 2021

St. Augustine of Hippo is the patron of brewers because of his conversion from a former life of loose living, which included parties, entertainment, and worldly ambitions. His complete turnaround and conversion has been an inspiration to many who struggle with a particular vice or habit they long to break.

This famous son of St. Monica was born in Africa and spent many years of his life in wicked living and in false beliefs. Though he was one of the most intelligent men who ever lived …

Hymn to Saint Rita of Cascia: Prayer of the Day for Saturday, August 28, 2021

I.
Come, virgins chaste; pure brides, draw near:
Let Earth exult and Heaven hear
The Hymn that grateful accents raise,
Our song of joy in Rita’s praise.

II.
By fast her sinless frame is weak;
Her livid flesh the scourges streak.
In pity for her Savior’s woes,
Her days and even nights are closed.

III.
The thorn-wound on her brow is shown,
The crimson rose in winter blown,
And full-ripe figs on frozen tree
At Rita’s wish the wonders see.

IV.
The widowed spouse …

Radiant Grace

Today’s Gospel is a bit difficult to apply because we are so far removed from the cultural references – virgins? bridegroom? wedding feast? oil lamps?

If the “wedding feast” here refers to Heaven, and the bridegroom is Jesus himself (images already present in the Old Testament), then we see that the Church is the Bride of Christ, and each one of us is also his bride.  

Those waiting for the bridegroom are described as “virgins” – those who seek “the one thing necessary”, as Jesus said (Lk 10:42); their souls thirst for the Lord (Psalm 63); they are focused fully on being ready for Jesus to return for them. He is delayed and comes at midnight to bring the virgins into the feast with him when they have all become weary and fallen asleep, but only half of them are prepared. The foolish half did not bring enough oil to keep their small lamps burning and had run out. The wise ones brought enough to wait right through the heart of the night, so they replenish their oil and stoke up their flames.

What is this “oil”? The oil that keeps their lamps burning to the end of their lives when Jesus comes to bring them into the Heavenly Feast signifies grace and love, their loving desire, faithfulness, and prayer, their pure and burning offering of themselves to him.  

The foolish ones think of these things as a superficial commodity they can run out and get at the last minute, but growing in love and grace and becoming the person we are created to be is the work of a lifetime. This is why the wise virgins cannot give any of their oil to the foolish ones – the oil is a specific image of Christ-life within each of us, and the warmth and light that come from deep devotion and fidelity cannot be handed off to another at the last minute.

Jesus tells us that he has come to cast a fire on earth (Lk 12:49), and he desires that it burn in a unique way in each of us. This fire that God longs to see in each soul grows throughout our spiritual journey, gradually taking its shape in the depths of our relationship with the Lord and with one another. We can let our light shine for others, and others may light their lamps from this fire, but the oil must come from each person’s cooperation with the work of the Holy Spirit within them, as they become a unique Image of God.

This is the goal of each individual life and of the whole of human history – to grow in our relationship with God in such a way that we burn with the radiance for which He created us so that He knows us as His own and we light up the world and heaven in the way that He has called us to shine.

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Kathryn Mulderink, MA, is married to Robert, Station Manager for Holy Family Radio. Together they have seven children (including Father Rob), and four grandchildren. She is President of the local community of Secular Discalced Carmelites and has published five books and many articles. Over the last 30 years, she has worked as a teacher, headmistress, catechist, Pastoral Associate, and DRE, and as a writer and voice talent for Catholic Radio. Currently, she serves the Church by writing and speaking, and by collaborating with various parishes and to lead others to encounter Christ and engage their faith. Her website is www.KathrynTherese.com

Feature Image Credit: Ritabrata Das, https://unsplash.com/photos/kpaBHvDE7aQ

St. Monica: Saint of the Day for Friday, August 27, 2021

Saint Monica, also known as Monica of Hippo, is St. Augustine of Hippo’s mother. She was born in 331 A.D. in Tagaste, which is present-day Algeria.

When she was very young, she was married off to the Roman pagan Patricius, who shared his mother’s violent temper. Patricius’ mother lived with the couple and the duo’s temper flares proved to be a constant challenge to young Monica.

While Monica’s prayers and Christian deeds bothered Patricius, he is said to have respected her beliefs.

Three …

Prayer for Choosing a State of Life: Prayer of the Day for Friday, August 27, 2021

From all eternity, O Lord, You planned my very existence and my destiny. You wrapped me in Your love in baptism and gave me the Faith to lead me to an eternal life of happiness with You. You have showered me with Your graces and You have been always ready with Your mercy and forgiveness when I have fallen. Now I beg You for the light I so earnestly need that I may find the way of life in which lies the best fulfillment of Your will. Whatever state this may be, give me the grace necessary to …

Thursday of the Twenty-first Week in Ordinary Time

Reading I 1 Thes 3:7-13

We have been reassured about you, brothers and sisters,
in our every distress and affliction, through your faith.
For we now live, if you stand firm in the Lord.

What thanksgiving, then, can we render to God for you,
for all the joy we feel on your account before our God?
Night and day we pray beyond measure to see you in person
and to remedy the deficiencies of your faith.
Now may God himself, our Father, and our Lord Jesus
direct our way to you, and may the Lord make you increase
and abound in love for one another and for all,
just as we have for you,
so as to strengthen your hearts, 
to be blameless in holiness before our God and Father
at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his holy ones. Amen.

Responsorial Psalm 90:3-5a, 12-13, 14 and 17

R. (14) Fill us with your love, O Lord, and we will sing for joy!
You turn man back to dust,
saying, “Return, O children of men.”
For a thousand years in your sight
are as yesterday, now that it is past,
or as a watch of the night.
R. Fill us with your love, O Lord, and we will sing for joy!
Teach us to number our days aright,
that we may gain wisdom of heart.
Return, O LORD! How long?
Have pity on your servants!
R. Fill us with your love, O Lord, and we will sing for joy!
Fill us at daybreak with your kindness,
that we may shout for joy and gladness all our days.
And may the gracious care of the LORD our God be ours;
prosper the work of our hands for us!
Prosper the work of our hands!
R. Fill us with your love, O Lord, and we will sing for joy!

Alleluia Mt 24:42a, 44

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Stay awake!
For you do not know when the Son of Man will come.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel Mt 24:42-51

Jesus said to his disciples:
“Stay awake!
For you do not know on which day your Lord will come.
Be sure of this: if the master of the house
had known the hour of night when the thief was coming,
he would have stayed awake
and not let his house be broken into.
So too, you also must be prepared,
for at an hour you do not expect, the Son of Man will come.

“Who, then, is the faithful and prudent servant,
whom the master has put in charge of his household
to distribute to them their food at the proper time?
Blessed is that servant whom his master on his arrival finds doing so.
Amen, I say to you, he will put him in charge of all his property.
But if that wicked servant says to himself, ‘My master is long delayed,’
and begins to beat his fellow servants,
and eat and drink with drunkards,
the servant’s master will come on an unexpected day
and at an unknown hour and will punish him severely
and assign him a place with the hypocrites,
where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.”

– – –

Lectionary for Mass for Use in the Dioceses of the United States, second typical edition, Copyright © 2001, 1998, 1997, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine; Psalm refrain © 1968, 1981, 1997, International Committee on English in the Liturgy, Inc. All rights reserved. Neither this work nor any part of it may be reproduced, distributed, performed or displayed in any medium, including electronic or digital, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

Who Is Blameless?

       In today’s letter to the Thessalonians, Paul tells us in the last line “to be blameless in holiness before our God and Father  at the coming of our lord Jesus with all his holy ones.” What does the word blameless mean to you? To me it means purity. When is the last time you heard a person in conversation use the word pure or purity? It just does not seem to be a word we use anymore. Dare I say it is because of a change in our culture? There are many areas of life where this change might have come from. If a generation is 40 years, then I have lived about two of them. The Lord touched me at four years old in the basement of a Free Methodist church in 1949. I have tried all my life, since then, to be obedient to God’s voice. Guess what? I don’t always do that! God in his mercy has never left me. 
       The change in our culture occurred in a very short time. The increase in technology has certainly contributed to it. How? 10-year-olds are carrying smartphones. They have access to the same filth that adults do. Violence in games seems to be addictive. Mortal Kombat was a big hit when it first came out a few years ago. Now there are some that make it look like Frogger. (Slight exaggeration.)  Some would say it doesn’t affect our children. Don’t believe that. I know a guy that lost his job because he couldn’t put down the controller and he played games all night. Then he was late for work every morning. It happened too many times. And he was fired. So, how do we guard ourselves and protect purity for ourselves and our children? Answer, by being intentional. And monitoring our children and ourselves. And making sure they are not watching inappropriate videos, etc. I have a daughter that does not allow their children to get on YouTube. It has a way of drawing one into other videos that may not be appropriate.
        Did you ever wonder what purity looks like? It’s easy, just pick up a baby and hold him or her in your left arm and then look lovingly at their face. This child is holy, pure, and innocent, it is the closest we get to seeing God. I believe the birth of my sister helped me in this area. She was born 12 years after me in 1957. When I turned 16 I got a car. And took her everywhere. She told me a while back that I took her and my girlfriend to the drive-in movie. No brother ever does that. At first I didn’t remember doing it. But I guess I did. It was the I was the only 16 year old guy in Ludington driving around with his little sister sitting next to him in his 1954 Buick. We are very close to this day.
       If today is the day you want to work on your purity, the answer is simple, ask God for the grace to do so. You can pray with great confidence that it will be answered! Why? Because He desires it more that you do! There is a condition. You must receive it and then put it into action. God will not force it upon you. You will become a new person!
      Serving with Joy!

Deacon Dan Schneider is a retired general manager of industrial distributors. He and his wife Vicki recently celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary. They are the parents of eight children and twenty-nine grandchildren. He has a degree in Family Life Education from Spring Arbor University. He was ordained a Permanent Deacon in 2002.  He has a passion for working with engaged and married couples and his main ministry has been preparing couples for marriage.

Featured Image Credit: Peter Oslanec, https://unsplash.com/photos/Mu6RjGUzrQA

St. Teresa of Jesus Jornet Ibars: Saint of the Day for Thursday, August 26, 2021

Foundress of the Little Sisters of the Poor. Born in Catalonia, Spain, she overcame many difficulties in her youth and eventually became a teacher at Lerida. Desirous to enter the religious life, she failed to win entry into the convent at the advice of her spiritual director, decided to launch her own congregation. On January 27, 1872, at Barbastro, Spain, she began the Little Sisters of the Poor, called the Little Sisters of the Abandoned Age. Considerable zeal, she had founded by the time of …