Category: Catholic Faith

Act Of Faith

by rejoiceandpraise, posted in Bible, Catholic Faith, Catholicism, Christian Blogger, Christianity, Jesus, Reflection, The Chosen

I had not watched The Chosen (Season 1) until this weekend. My parish priest had raved about this series and recommended it as a beautiful portrayer of Jesus.

Wrapping our heads around the hypostatic union of Jesus as one person with two nature – divine and human – can be grappling to understand.

From a personal perspective, I really appreciate how the Holy Spirit moves me time and time again to have a deeper understanding of Jesus’ human side. Between my daughter passing me tissues to wipe my eyes, not out of sadness, but with an inner joy, “Mom, why are you crying? You’ve read all this in the Bible and you know Jesus’ story.”

Reading and picturing the scene in my head is one thing, but to see it enacted adds to a holistic understanding of Jesus – the man, the son who was in constant communication with the Father, and his interaction and love for all the people around him. I also gained deeper insights into each of Jesus’ disciples. Just as I felt the pain Nicodemus the Pharisee and a member of the Sanhedrin was going through – the difficulty of giving up all to follow Jesus.

I am so often wrought by my own subjective reason and intellectualization that I miss the most basic teachings in the Bible. It is not through reason we come to Christ. Yes, for some it is, but for myself, it is to work beyond my own head space into faith – that means letting go of the mind and moving towards the “mysteries of God, and “Mysteries are not easy for a scholar”

I recommend taking the time to watch the first season of The Chosen now on Netflix. For myself, watching this was the Holy Spirit showing me that there is a bit of me in each of the people around Jesus.

SIN has permeated each of us, and Jesus points us to the Father:

Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you had known me, you would have known my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.”

John 14:6-7 ESV

God Bless 💕🙏

Staying on God’s Path

by rejoiceandpraise, posted in Catholic Faith, Catholic Teaching, Catholicism, Christian Blogger, Christianity, Personal Reflection, Reflection

I have to say that sometimes (ok, most of the time) it’s a struggle between my will (me) and God’s will. My path seems easy and mapped out. God’s route takes time and effort, nor do I know where the Holy Spirit will take me:

8 The wind blows where it chooses, and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.”

John 3:8 NRSVCE

The spiritual road travelled is littered with life challenges – it is through them that we can grow in leaps and bound. A part of that growth process is learning to discern between consolation and desolation. That is distinguishing if it’s from God or Satan. I have to admit this is a life long process of being mindfully alert and Jesus centred.

So often I do something thinking it’s God’s will only to realize the evil one has slid in and before I know it, I’m feeling stressed, overloaded and burdened. I piled upon myself all these to do activities thinking it will develop my spirituality only to realize they end up distracting me from focusing on Jesus. Satan has inadvertently slithered in. Yup, my lack of discernment.

These past few weeks, I have learnt exactly that – Trust God, keep my focus on Jesus, and silent time to hear the Holy Spirit. It is easy to fall on the wayside without realizing it. That’s when I find it necessary to shift my focus back to Jesus.

Good Bless 🙏💕

Pope Benedict XVI

by rejoiceandpraise, posted in Catholic Faith, Catholicism, Christian Blogger, Christianity, Father Chris Alar, Pope Benedict XVI

The day before his death, I had gone to St. Michaels Cathedral in Toronto and prayed the Joyful Mystery for Pope Benedict. As I prayed for his healing, an inner voice told me to pray for the grace of God to embrace his body and lift him into heaven. The next day, on the Solemnity of Our Blessed Mother, he died.

His death represents for me an ending of an era, and much prayer is needed today for the will and love of God to bless the church today, and to walk in the path of His holy will and no other.

We now enter a new era in the church.

I share with you a teaching today by Father Chris Alar. I watched this with tears, and a heaviness in my heart.

Please take the time to watch this video made by Father Chris Alar on Pope Benedict XVI – it is broadcast on the 1 Saturday of the Month, just after 2023:

God is love. It is his love which created and sustains our universe. God is truth.

God Bless 🙏❤️🤲

The Catechism In A Year

by rejoiceandpraise, posted in Bible, catechism in a year, Catholic Faith, Catholic Teaching, Catholicism, Christian Blogger, Christianity, Father Mike Schmitz

If you haven’t started following the online readings of the Catechism In A Year with Father Mike Schmitz, it’s not too late to start. As of January 4th, 2023, it is Day 4.

I follow on Youtube. Start on Day 1 and subscribe to the channel. This way the next day shows up in your stream:

https://youtu.be/tI-pOSv7tvg

You can also subscribe via the Ascension Press website. You do not have to buy their version of The Catechism of the Catholic Church. Use the copy you already have.

https://ascensionpress.com/pages/catechisminayear

I am following this online, and it is available on many platforms, and recommend it for a deeper understanding of the Catholic Faith.

Pray with a sincere heart for the grace to know God more deeply, love him more intimately and to follow his will more closely. God Bless 💕🙏

Happy New Year 2023

by rejoiceandpraise, posted in catechism in a year, Catholic Faith, Catholicism, Christian Blogger, Christianity, Father Mike Schmitz, Jesus, Personal Reflection, Virgin Mary

Wishing all a Happy New Year! A new beginning for all of us to celebrate the love of our God and rejoice in Jesus. As we approach a new year and strive to walk closer to God, we are blessed with the knowledge that yes, we may muck up, but are thankful that the Jesus in us will lift us up.

January 1 is the Octave Day of Christmas

The Solemnity of the Blessed Virgin Mary

The shepherds went in haste to Bethlehem and found Mary and Joseph,
and the infant lying in the manger.
When they saw this,
they made known the message
that had been told them about this child.
All who heard it were amazed
by what had been told them by the shepherds.
And Mary kept all these things,
reflecting on them in her heart.
Then the shepherds returned,
glorifying and praising God
for all they had heard and seen,
just as it had been told to them.

When eight days were completed for his circumcision,
he was named Jesus, the name given him by the angel
before he was conceived in the womb.

Luke 2:16-21

New Year To Do:

An idea for the start of the new year is listening to the Catechism in a Year with Father Mike

January 1 is Day 1 of Catechism in a Year: https://youtu.be/tI-pOSv7tvg

New Year Reflections:

I have been spending the pass few days with my family in Toronto with whom I haven’t seen since the onset of Covid – yup 3 years. Praise be to God for the opportunity to share, rejoice and share in God’s love.

It’s been a blessing to spend time with each of my siblings and their families. Although 3 years of Covid restrictions were at times challenging – in afterthought the time pass quickly – in a blink of an eye – all the kids have grown up. Thank you to the triune, all the angels and saints for their cloak of protection.

Queen Quay Pier, Toronto

May God’s Blessings follow each of you in your daily walk 🙏💕

RIP Papa Benedict XVI

by rejoiceandpraise, posted in Catholic Faith, Catholicism, Christianity, Pope Benedict XVI, prayer, RIP

https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/253168/benedict-xvi-dead-at-95-the-humble-worker-and-his-legacy-of-hope-to-the-catholic-church

May the Holy Family embrace his soul and lift him up before the Father. RIP 🙏💕

I also ask in the name of Jesus, for blessings upon the Catholic Church, all Catholics and Christians as we enter into a New Year, and as we close an era. As we enter into a new age within the Catholic Church, I pray the the Holy Spirit to stir the hearts of lost sheep, and, to move the hearts of those coming to faith. Amen.

May God Bless each and everyone of us. 🙏💕

Christmas Eve Quote

by rejoiceandpraise, posted in Catholic Faith, Catholicism, Christian Blogger, Christianity, Christmas Eve, inspiration, Jesus, Nativity, Pope Benedict XVI, Thought of the Day

On this Christmas Eve, I would like to share this quote by Pope Benedict XVI:

“God has done everything; he has done the impossible: he was made flesh. His all-powerful love has accomplished something which surpasses all human understanding: the Infinite has become a child, has entered the human family. And yet, this same God cannot enter my heart unless I open the door to him.”

–Pope Benedict XVI

Let us open the door to him, and share this story to all those around us. Let us pray that Jesus will enter the hearts of those who don’t know him.

Christmas Blessings to all 🙏💕

The Nativity Story

by rejoiceandpraise, posted in Catholic Faith, Catholicism, Christian Blogger, Christianity, Mother Mary, Nativity, Virgin Mary

This is one of the most beautiful and moving retelling of the Nativity Story:

The Birth of Jesus

2 In those days a decree went out from Emperor Augustus that all the world should be registered. 2 This was the first registration and was taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria. 3 All went to their own towns to be registered. 4 Joseph also went from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to the city of David called Bethlehem, because he was descended from the house and family of David. 5 He went to be registered with Mary, to whom he was engaged and who was expecting a child. 6 While they were there, the time came for her to deliver her child. 7 And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in bands of cloth, and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.

The Shepherds and the Angels

Luke 2:1-20

8 In that region there were shepherds living in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10 But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for see—I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people: 11 to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord. 12 This will be a sign for you: you will find a child wrapped in bands of cloth and lying in a manger.” 13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying,

14 “Glory to God in the highest heaven,
and on earth peace among those whom he favors!”

15 When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go now to Bethlehem and see this thing that has taken place, which the Lord has made known to us.” 16 So they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the child lying in the manger. 17 When they saw this, they made known what had been told them about this child; 18 and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds told them. 19 But Mary treasured all these words and pondered them in her heart. 20 The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.

God Bless 🙏💕