Catholicism – Page 2 – Be Inspired!

Truth Or Riding The Status Quo

February 21, 2023February 21, 2023 by rejoiceandpraise, posted in Catholic Faith, Catholic Journey, Catholicism, Christian Blogger, Christianity, Jesus, prayer, Truth

Often times Christian’s and Catholics working in a toxic environment endure it as an act of love and compassion. They dare not speak out for fear of rocking the boat.

In a toxic work environment, I have been advised by my Catholic counterpart to accept it with love in my heart, that to act otherwise is being non Catholic. Well, I have got to say that only works for a limited time. Although I have given up these challenges to Jesus to carry my yoke, the feeling of being silence eats at my soul.

I have the choice to bear and grin it with a loving heart, or I voice my opinion and express the injustices I see and call it out for what it is – on my part out of love for all – the management, the staff, the children in my care, and, for the healing and happiness of all who are affected within the environment.

I recall when Jesus chased out the money changers in the temple (accounts are found in Matthew 21:12-13; Mark 11:15-18; Luke 19:45-46; and John 2:13-17). I also recall Jesus calling out the Pharisees and teachers (Mark 12.38-40; Luke 11.37-52; 20.45-47).

Yes, we are loving and compassionate. It also means that we have the duty to call out inappropriate practices and situations around us with a Jesus centred heart.

After many weeks or pondering on it, praying about it, and then even talking with my priest during confession – I went with my heart and gave my seasoned opinion as well as possible solutions.

It’s always a choice to be honest and vocal, or to be silent. As a follower of Jesus, it is important to not be seduced by the silence of following a false narrative or the status quo. It is important to speak out on injustices and to be honest in our observations and recommendations without bias. Above all, it’s not about me, but the people around me who are too fearful or passive to speak out.

In the end, in the midst of chaos and darkness, the light of Jesus and truth will aways create conflict. After all, when the light of God pierces into the heart of darkness, a prideful heart is unable to see the light. There will be criticism for my actions (“You are not being a Christian!” – this coming from a Christian), and I gladly take responsibility for it – because as a Catholic it is irresponsible for me to be silent.

Blessings to those who stand firm in the truth of God 🙏💕

The Chosen

February 12, 2023February 12, 2023 by rejoiceandpraise, posted in Catholic Faith, Catholicism, Christian Blogger, Christianity, Jesus, The Chosen

I just finished The Chosen (season 2 and 3) after viewing Season 1 on Netflix. For those of you who haven’t seen season 1, it is available on Netflix, but for Season 2 and 3, I had to search for it on YouTube (or download the App: https://www.angel.com/watch/the-chosen).

I haven’t tried the app, and a little search on YouTube found many streamers who have it on their channel.

The show is not a visual or audible Bible. It is the telling of Jesus’ life and ministry from a very humanistic standpoint. It adapts many parables, stories and characters from the life of Jesus and blends it into the religious, cultural and historical nuances of Israel under Roman occupation. The telling of the story is poignant and historically accurate. All characters are well developed and gives deeper insights into the lives and signs of the time. I particularly love the glimpse into the lives of Jesus’ disciples. They were indeed a motley crew.

As a modern woman reading the Bible and drawing into it visually and drawing from my own subjective insights (with the Holy Spirits help), watching The Chosen has given me a deeper holistic understanding of Jesus and his world. At another level, I have also realized that our world today is a mirror image of that same world (with more dangerous technological weaponization of power). Racism, prejudice, the disenfranchised, et al are just as evident in our world today as it was during Jesus’ time.

What does it mean to be a Christian or Catholic today? That was a question that echoed in my mind. Jesus came into the world as the new Adam and the perfect role model for each of us to strive to be like and amplify. As I watched the sometimes conflicting relationships among all his disciples, it was Jesus at the core to keep the peace. It was Jesus to taught those around him to love, give and care. Through him, the light of his perfect humanity is what touched and transformed his followers – patience and love for all those around him.

It is for each of us to not only follow Jesus, and keep him centred in the core of our being – but to change ourselves to be more like him.

By focusing on Jesus, Peter (Simon) was able to take a few steps towards him before fear pulled him into the water – Jesus reminds Peter that he is ever present. Just as Jesus’ hand pulled Peter (Simon) out of the water, his hands pulls us out of the depth and points us to the Father.

God Bless 💕🙏

Act Of Faith

February 5, 2023February 5, 2023 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

January 28, 2023January 28, 2023 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:

⁸The 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 🙏💕

Yes, The Darkness Is Real…

January 8, 2023February 24, 2023 by rejoiceandpraise, posted in Catholicism, Chastisement, Christian Blogger, Christianity, Illumination of Conscience, Padre Pio, Ralph Martin, Three Days of Darkness, Truth, Virgin Mary, Xavier Reyes-Ayral

I am sharing this so that we can prepare. Whether it happens in our life time or not, we can step up to protect the next generation. It also reminds us to keep our hearts, mind and soul focused on Jesus.

I will share the following Catholics who speaks it as it is. They are also observant and can read the signs of the times. God reveals to us via His words, His son and our Blessed Mother, saints and through personal prophecies and visions, as well as many warnings of the darkness that is here. We as children of God need to know, and keep ourselves Christ centred. This will help us resist the temptation of our world – which is really in Satan’s grasp.

There is hope in the midst of the chaos and coming chastisement. Keep focused on Jesus. He will guide each of us through it.

Secularism and It’s Dark Belly

Three Days of Darkness

Dark Nights

January 8, 2023January 8, 2023 by rejoiceandpraise, posted in Catholicism, Christian Blogger, Christianity, Depression, Healing, Personal Reflection, prayer, Relationship, Spirituality

This past few weeks, so many around me are going through life (filled) challenges. Many are in a “clinical” depression, sad, or anxious. There are a few friends going through cancer treatments. For some, they cannot see the light and cannot grasp the inner joy within. I lack words of comfort.

For many their darkness stems from not only the death of those close to them, but from the dark cloak of secularism which has taken away their soul and replacing it with shallow emotionalism. Where has their inner joy, peace and love gone?

A young friend just lost her mom and bestie, and she asked me why she is being punished. “Where is God?” “God doesn’t exist!” She is not the only friend who has experienced the death of love ones. I can only listen and silently pray in my heart for them.

There is another recovering from addiction, and sometimes the pain is so bad she has strayed away from her program – “falling off the wagon.”

I recall Father D. Callaway, MIC once saying that therapy without healing the soul (spiritual) is ineffective. The mind and body may get better, but the spirit is weak and often times they fall back into their addiction.

How do I proactively help them? Yes, I try to listen mindfully without opening my big mouth. I give a hug. I also say a silent prayer for them asking for the light of Jesus to touch their souls. I pray for their healing, or I send them prayers to pray.

When someone is ill, praying is the last thing on their mind. When in a depression, it’s difficult to see the light. When someone is going through the pain of lost, no words can comfort. That’s why it’s up to us to pray for their healing, pray a rosary, or light a candle, or offer a mass on their behalf, and above all something I have learnt of late – to listen mindfully. With Jesus in us, this is what we are called to do.

Going through the “dark night of the soul” is real. It is also a process of drawing one nearer to God. There is a light at the end of the tunnel so to speak. God is ever loving and merciful – He waits to hear from us. He waits for us to seek him to help us go through the “dark night of the soul”.

He welcomes our prays for the other.

There is also the freedom to choose. God also wants us – sick, depressed and going through life challenges – to seek him freely.

God also seeks for those in need to seek him from where they are at in their life’s journey. Following Father Mike today – Day 8 helped me understand this more fully: https://youtu.be/m6f2J4Cr3Ps

God Bless all those going through trials, illness, depression, and lost of love ones. Those of us in the faith, let us pray, pray, and pray for them. We can pray the Rosary 📿, light a candle at church, offer a mass. 🙏💕

Note: Forgive me for doing injustice to Saint John of the cross and his “dark night of the soul”. There is a multi-fold meaning to his work, and I do him a great injustice by the flippant and generalized way I am appropriating his phrase.

Marian Consecration

January 7, 2023January 7, 2023 by rejoiceandpraise, posted in Act of Consecration to the Immaculate Heart of Mary, Catholicism, Christian Blogger, Christianity, Father Gaitley, Marian Consecration, Virgin Mary

Marian Consecration begins Monday, January 9th for 33 days ending on the Feast Day of Our Lady of Lourdes on February 11th.

I just purchased 33 Days to Morning Glory by Fr. Michael E. Gaitley, MIC.

I have in the past prepared for Total Consecration to Jesus Through Mary according to St. Louis De Montfort, but will do it again with new eyes, heart and mind using Father Gaitley’s book.

I encourage readers to get ahold of either copy and participate. Mary wants to guide us to her son. I know that I rushed my consecration to Mary, and have made a commitment to myself to stay steadfast this time around.

God Bless, 💕🙏

Resources:

Preparation For Total Consecration to Jesus Christ Through Mary According to St. Louis De Montfort

By Fr. Hugh Gillespie. SMM

33 Days To Morning Glory A Fo It Yourself Retreat In Preparation For Marian Consecration

By Father Michael E. Gaitley

Pope Benedict XVI

January 7, 2023 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: