O my God, at the end of this day I thank You most heartily for all the graces I have received from You. I am sorry that I have not made a better use of them. I am sorry for all the sins I have committed against You. Forgive me, O my God, and graciously protect me this night. Blessed Virgin Mary, my dear heavenly mother, take me under your protection. St. Joseph, my dear Guardian Angel, and all you saints of God, pray for me. Sweet Jesus, have pity on all poor sinners, and save them from hell. …
Month: April 2022
God Will Save You
There are four poignant verses in the story of Susanna that exemplify the battle between good and evil. The two elders saw Susanna’s beauty, and treating her as an object instead of a person, they “suppressed their consciences; they would not allow their eyes to look to heaven, and did not keep in mind just judgments.” (Dn 13:9)The temptation to sin was so great they pushed aside their moral compass. They made a choice to turn from God and they paid for it with their lives. Evil won in their case. How often do we make a conscious choice away from God, knowing that what we are doing is wrong?
Susanna, on the other hand, never turned her gaze from God. She knew that to acquiesce to their threats would be safest but would also be allowing herself to enter into sin. In fighting against them, she was opening herself to punishment as it was the word of two elders against hers. In a culture where women were not valued, this was sure to lead to her death. But so great was her love for God, she was willing to risk it all. “Yet it is better for me to fall into your power without guilt than to sin before the Lord.” (Dn 13: 23) How often do we choose God over what is easy or safe?
She prayed to God and trusted him. When she was in front of the assembly being accused of adultery in a land where the punishment for adultery is death, she called out to God who knows what is true and what is hidden. In front of her accusers, her family, and her husband she spoke the truth. How often do we trust that if we speak truth, God will take care of us?
“The Lord heard her prayer.” (Dn 13:44) He always does. Our God is good and powerful and faithful. No matter how dire the situation, we can know that he is with us, he hears us, and he never abandons us.
Her faith saved her. In front of all the people, Daniel proved the elders were lying and Susanna was set free. Her faith also helped others because they saw that it was God’s work they witnessed and “The whole assembly cried aloud, blessing God who saves those who hope in him.” (Dan 13:60)
There is evil in the world. We are tempted on a daily basis. It is up to us to choose to keep our eyes on God or to succumb to the temptations. It is also up to us to trust that God will be with us in that choice and his grace will lead us through. The Lord will hear our prayers and we can rejoice and praise him because he will save us.
Merridith Frediani loves words and is delighted by good sentences. She also loves Lake Michigan, dahlias, the first sip of hot coffee in the morning, millennials, and playing Sheepshead with her husband and three kids. She writes for Catholic Mom, Diocesan.com, and her local Catholic Herald. Her first book Draw Close to Jesus: A Woman’s Guide to Adoration is available at Our Sunday Visitor and Amazon. You can learn more at merridithfrediani.com.
Feature Image Credit: Lichi Mariño, https://www.cathopic.com/photo/25377-inmaculada-ti-me-confio
St. Isidore of Seville: Saint of the Day for Monday, April 04, 2022
Isidore was literally born into a family of saints in sixth century Spain. Two of his brothers, Leander and Fulgentius, and one of his sisters, Florentina, are revered as saints in Spain. It was also a family of leaders and strong minds with Leander and Fulgentius serving as bishops and Florentina as abbess. This didn’t make life easier for Isidore. To the contrary, Leander may have been holy in many ways, but his treatment of his little brother shocked many even at the time. Leander, who …
Guardian Angel Prayer: Prayer of the Day for Monday, April 04, 2022
Guardian Angel from heaven so bright,
Watching beside me to lead me aright,
Fold thy wings round me, and guard me with love,
Softly sing songs to me of heaven above. Amen.
St. Richard of Wyche: Saint of the Day for Sunday, April 03, 2022
Richard of Wyche, also known as Richard of Chichester, was born at Wyche (Droitwich), Worcestershire, England. He was orphaned when he was quite young. He retrieved the fortunes of the mismanaged estate he inherited when he took it over, and then turned it over to his brother Robert. Richard refused marriage and went to Oxford, where he studied under Grosseteste and met and began a lifelong friendship with Edmund Rich. Richard pursued his studies at Paris, received his M.A. from Oxford, and …
Act of Faith #6: Prayer of the Day for Sunday, April 03, 2022
I believe in one God.
I believe that God rewards
the good and punishes the wicked.
I believe that in God there are three Divine Persons,
God the Father,
God the Son,
and God the Holy Spirit.
I believe that God the Son became Man,
without ceasing to be God.
I believe that he is my Lord and Saviour,
the Redeemer of the human race,
that He died on the Cross
for the salvation of all men,
that He died also for me.
I believe, on God’s authority, …
Lent is a Time for Learning
The division that Christ brought into the Jewish community of his time is sometimes startling, especially because Jesus’ teachings exhort us to be peacemakers, meek and humble of heart. The strife Jesus caused reminds us that Christianity, while it brings a kind of unity which goes beyond the natural, can also cause great division.
The build up to the arrest of Jesus has been taking place in the daily Mass readings the past few days. In the Gospels, the tension is rising as we see some of the Jewish leaders taking umbrage at the things that Jesus said and did. In today’s Gospel reading, they argue amongst themselves concerning Jesus. They have trouble reconciling cultural Judaism with His hard sayings and His radical claims. If the religious leaders in this story had a true understanding of the Old Testament and what to look for in the Messiah, they would not have argued about who Jesus was.
Modern day Catholics sometimes experience this same kind of division because we disagree about who Christ is and what he teaches. The fact that we live in a society that is often at odds with our beliefs makes us even more conflicted and confused.
Recently, I was helping to prepare a 2nd grade class for First Reconciliation. One girl was amazed to learn that what society calls right and wrong does not always match up with God’s definition of right and wrong. There are many adult Catholics who are also unaware of the discrepancy. There is, for example, a general consensus that cheating another person in business is wrong, but how many people still believe that “marriage” between couples of the same sex is wrong? Those who want to preserve the traditional meaning of marriage are now persecuted, but Catholics can easily fall into the trap of believing the way the world around them believes as well.
So how can we know the teachings of Christ, that we might know what is truly right and wrong and stop arguing amongst ourselves? The Catechism of the Catholic Church is a good tool to learn what the Church has taught since the time of Christ.
If we are unsure what our Church teaches and why, we should try to find out. There are plenty of good resources to help us, and Lent is the perfect time to learn more about our faith in order to stand as a unified Church living in Christ’s love.
Christine Hanus is a thwarted idealist who, nevertheless, lives quite happily in Upstate NY. She is a wife and mother of five grown children.
Feature Image Credit: Pexels, https://pixabay.com/photos/couch-couple-girl-grass-man-1868755/
St. Francis of Paola: Saint of the Day for Saturday, April 02, 2022
Francis was born at Paola, Italy and was educated at the Franciscan friary of San Marco there, and when fifteen became a hermit near Paola. In 1436, he and two companions began a community that is considered the foundation of the Minim Friars. He built a monastery where he had led his eremitical life some fifteen years later and set a Rule for his followers emphasizing penance, charity, and humility, and added to the three monastic vows, one of fasting and abstinence from meat; he also wrote a …
Prayer for Acceptance of Death: Prayer of the Day for Saturday, April 02, 2022
Most Sacred Heart of Jesus,
I accept from Your hands whatever kind of death
it may please You to send me this day (night)
with all its pains, penalties and sorrows;
in reparation for all of my sins,
for the souls in Purgatory,
for all those who will die today
and for Your greater glory.
Amen.
Knowing Our Father
“The one who sent me, whom you do not know, is true. I know him, because I am from him, and he sent me.”
Jesus is talking about the Father, and the Jews know this; they know that Jesus is clearly stating that he is the Son of God, the Son of the Father; he is telling them clearly that he knows God, and has been sent by God. “I am from him, and he sent me.” There it is. No mincing words at this point in the mission, even if it will mean his death.
This is the very heart of Jesus being revealed to the world: the Father sent the Son, and the Son has accepted this mission in love – love for the Father, and love for us. Jesus’ bread is to do the will of the Father; the Son can do nothing of his own accord, but only what he sees the Father doing; the Son is obedient, even unto death, death on a cross…
What about us? We are called to be transformed in Christ – not just follow all the rules or be nice and share, but to be transformed IN him, conformed TO him, become one WITH him so that we can bring HIM to others. And when we are transformed in him, our motivation and desires will be the same as his. When we are transformed in him, our hearts should be like his: oriented toward the Father, in love. When we are transformed in Christ, when our hearts are aligned with his and our eyes are on the will of the Father, we are at last empowered and freed to bring Christ to the world and the world to Christ. This is what the world is thirsting for. This is what Christ is thirsting for. When we deepen our intimacy with Christ, the reverberations of that intimacy can transform the world. The deeper the intimacy, the stronger and farther the ripples of that love travel.
This is part of what Jesus came to teach us. We are created to be arrows pointing to the Father with our lives, for God’s glory, for our good, and the good of others.
We are each alive right here and now in a world that is in desperate need. It is in desperate need that we be who and what we are created to be: we are created and called to be leaven for a world enervated and deflated by sin and selfwardness, to be salt that enhances and preserves what would otherwise rot, to be light to every darkened place. We are anointed at Baptism to be God’s priests and prophets and kings! We are sent on mission, and this culture has a huge need for us to embrace that mission. We are created to be holy, and this world has a deep need for our holiness.
In Christ, we must strive to do God’s work God’s way, God’s will for God’s glory!
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: Agencia Eremo, https://www.cathopic.com/photo/25997-santisima-trinidad