Dear Friend,

A lady in the north of Ireland said that every time she got down before God to pray, five cases of Irish Whiskey came up before her mind. She had taken them wrongfully one time when she was a housekeeper, and had not been able to pray since. She was advised to make restitution by her pastor, Father Hearn.

"But the person is dead," she said.
"Are not some of the heirs living?"
"Yes, a son."
"Then go to that son and pay him back."

People who have had health issues or near-death experiences generally have a greater appreciation for each day being a gift from God. The rest of us usually take for granted that we will be around tomorrow. But when you start to look at each day as a gift, you realize all the little miracles that happen daily and you begin to see God’s active presence in your life. You grow in gratitude, each day, for all that we have been given.

Dear Friend,

A pastor friend wrote to me about an article in a campus publication where a young nurse writes of her pilgrimage of learning to see in a patient the image of God beneath a very “distressing disguise.”

Eileen was one of her first patients, a person who was totally helpless. “A cerebral aneurysm (broken blood vessels in the brain) had left her with no conscious control over her body,” the nurse writes. As near as the doctors could tell Eileen was totally unconscious, unable to feel pain and unaware of anything going on around her.

God wants us to be happy! Instead of looking at the Ten Commandments as being restrictive and telling us what we can’t do, look at them as guides for living a joy-filled and peaceful life. Most of our problems arise when we put our own needs first or we spend most of our time trying to acquire more stuff. Instead, try putting God first in all things. We were made for God. Open your heart and let Him in!

Dear Friend,

When Rosina Hernandez was in college, she once attended a rock concert at which one young man was brutally beaten by another. No one made an attempt to stop the beating. The next day she was struck dumb to learn that the youth had died as a result of the pounding. Yet neither she nor anyone else had raised a hand to help him. She could never forget the incident or her responsibility as an inactive bystander.

Most people who live a grateful and generous lifestyle don’t go around bragging about it. But through their words and actions, others do take notice. They notice because of the joy and peace that results and others desire this in their own life. Know that the way you live your life may be the only interaction others may have with our Catholic faith.

Dear Friend,

Desolation. What does this mean?

Desolation has been defined as follows: “Darkness of soul, disturbance in it, movement to things low and earthly, the unquiet of different agitations and temptations, moving to want of confidence, without hope, without love, when one finds oneself all lazy, tepid, sad and as if separated from his Creator and Lord” (Saint Ignatius of Loyola, Spiritual Exercises, 317).

“May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who has loved us and given us everlasting encouragement and good hope through his grace, encourage your hearts and strengthen them in every good deed and word.” 2 Thessalonians 2:16-17

There are two important lessons here. First, we are called to be generous with our encouragement and hope with others. As God shows us mercy, we must be merciful to others. Second, joy is contagious! The joy we receive from doing good works not only strengthens us, it encourages others as well. Share the joy of living your faith whenever you can.

How will I get through this? Will I ever feel God's love again? Have you hit a roadblock in your relationship with the Lord? Prayer, once filled with insight and consolation, now feels like you are talking into a void. Events in your life that you could have walked away from at one time now settle in the pit of your stomach like dead weight. When all roads seem impassable where do you turn? John of the Cross offers you his wise counsel as a roadmap through rough terrain. He beckons you to follow your ascent to God through darkness.

Dear Friend,

Once armies carried cannonballs with them, afraid they would meet the enemy somewhere and have nothing to shoot at it. In terms of specific gravity, grudges are about as heavy as cannonballs. But it makes little sense to carry them. Most likely, the "enemy" is unaware of your enmity, and surely would be surprised to learn that you've been stalking him with a cannonball in your pocket.

Dear Friend,

Pope John Paul I stated that a problem with educating young people in the church stems from a failure to understand how young people learn. He claimed that adults learn in the following pattern: 1) acceptance of absolutes; 2) subordination of attitudes and actions to absolutes; 3) application of truth received to life experience. Knowing something as an adult is based primarily upon remembering information and intellectual learning.

It is not always convenient to be a good steward, especially when all the temptations of our busy and materialistic world get in the way. Now add our own pride and ego into the equation and living a stewardship lifestyle may be downright uncomfortable! Remember, God didn’t call us to be comfortable. He never said that we would have an easy life. Rather, He called us to be faithful!

Dear Friend,

As the mother of the Son of God, Mary participated in and revealed the mercy of God by sharing most intimately in her Son’s redeeming mission. And so, she experienced pain and suffering in her earthly life as the Mother of Sorrows, as Simeon had prophesied at the Presentation of the Lord in the temple. As the Sorrowful Mother who stood at the cross of her suffering son, Mary still stands by the members of her Son’s Body who in their own suffering bear the signs of his passion.

Dear Friend,

Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen enumerated some of God's blessings:

An acceptance that can never be questioned. (Ephesians 1:6).

An inheritance that can never be lost (I Peter 1:3-5).

A deliverance that can never be excelled (2 Corinthians l:10).

A grace that can never be limited (2 Corinthians 12:9).

Most of us live relatively “easy” lives. We have food, shelter, clothing and money. We go on vacation every year and own a car or two. Most of us take this all for granted. Did you ever notice that people with the least amount of possessions are usually the most grateful? Shouldn’t this be the other way around? Take time every day and thank God for all He has given you and discern how He is calling you to share your gifts.

Many of us compartmentalize our faith, we bring it out only when we attend Mass or when we attend a parish event. Being a good steward requires discipline and striving to put God first in everything - all the time. The next time you are at a neighborhood party or at work or out shopping would your words and actions signal to others that you are a good and faithful servant of our Lord?

Dear Friend,

THE WORLD NEEDS WOMEN AND MEN...
who cannot be bought;
whose word is their bond;
who put character above wealth;
who possess opinions and a will;
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If you've ever wondered what devotion to Mary is all about, you'll treasure this one-of-a-kind, popular glimpse into the early Church's life, doctrine, and devotion to Our Lady. Through lively stories, teachings of the Church fathers, and evidence from ancient archaeology,

The authors invite you to enter the fascinating world of the early Christians, giving you an imaginative glimpse into how they demonstrated their love for Mary through their prayers, art, and daily life. Along the way, you'll gain a deeper understanding of Mary's role in your own life and that of the Church today.