Catholic wisdom for the day.......

[Scott1]

Advice from Mother Teresa

People are often unreasonable, illogical and self-centered: Forgive them anyway.

If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives: Be kind anyway.

If you are successful, you will win some false friends and true enemies: Succeed anyway.

If you are honest and frank, people may cheat you: Be frank and honest anyway.

What you spend years building, someone could destroy overnight: Build anyway.

The good you do today, people will often forget tomorrow: Do good anyway.

Give the world the best you have and it my never be enough: Give the world the best you've got anyway.

You see, in the final analysis, it's between you and God: It was never between you and them anyway.

 

[Scott1]

Prayer for the Help of the Holy Spirit
O God, send forth your Holy Spirit into my heart that I may perceive, into my mind that I may remember, and into my soul that I may meditate. Inspire me to speak with piety, holiness, tenderness and mercy. Teach, guide and direct my thoughts and senses from beginning to end. May your grace ever help and correct me, and may I be strengthened now with wisdom from on high, for the sake of your infinite mercy. Amen. Saint Anthony of Padua

 

[Mr Spinkles]

The advice from Mother Teresa is one of the most beautiful things I have ever read.

 

[Scott1]

Lord Jesus Christ, who are called the Prince of Peace, who are yourself our peace and reconciliation, who so often said, "Peace to you," grant us peace. Make all men and women witnesses of truth, justice, and brotherly love. Banish from their hearts whatever might endanger peace. Enlighten our rulers that they may guarantee and defend the great gift of peace. May all peoples on the earth become as brothers and sisters. May longed-for peace blossom forth and reign always over us all.

 

[Scott1]

I asked God to take away my pain.
God said, No.
It is not for me to take away, but for you to give it up.



I asked God to make my handicapped child whole.
God said, No.
His spirit was whole, his body was only temporary.

I asked God to grant me patience.
God said, No.
Patience is a by-product of tribulations; it isn't granted, it is earned.

I asked God to give me happiness.
God said, No.
I give you blessings. Happiness is up to you.

I asked God to spare me pain.
God said, No.
Suffering draws you apart from worldly cares and brings you closer to me.

I asked God to make my spirit grow.
God said, No.
You must grow on your own, but I will prune you to make you fruitful.

I asked for all things that I might enjoy life.
God said, No.
I will give you life so that you may enjoy all things. I ask God to help me LOVE others, as much as He loves me.
God said...
Ahhhh, finally you have the idea.

 

[Scott1]

Almighty Father, Creator of Heaven, Earth, and all that dwells within both realms, we, the faithful lament the loss of our brothers and sisters in Christ from full commuion in His Church. Thus we pray with open minds, outstretched arms, and sorrowful hearts that our fellow Christians may experience reconciliation with the Holy Church. We pray for the souls of Martin Luther, John Calvin, and all Protestant leaders who denied Your Church. We pray for not only the spirits of our Catholic brethren, but for all Christians who have passed from this world. Lord God, Most Understanding and Merciful, your only Son was condemned to agonizing death at the hands of evil men so that we may be delivered into eternal life. Let not schism and suspicion taint Your servants. Instead, allow us to celebrate Your appointed Mass as one joyful Catholic and Apostolic Church.

Amen.

 

[Scott1]

I would gain control of the most powerful nation in the world;
I would delude their minds into thinking that they had come from man's effort, instead of God's blessings;
I would promote an attitude of loving things and using people, instead of the other way around;
I would dupe entire states into relying on gambling for their state revenue;
I would convince people that character is not an issue when it comes to leadership;
I would make it legal to take the life of unborn babies;
I would make it socially acceptable to take one's own life, and invent machines to make it convenient;
I would cheapen human life as much as possible so that the life of animals are valued more than human beings;
I would take God out of the schools, where even the mention of His name was grounds for a lawsuit;
I would come up with drugs that sedate the mind and target the young, and I would get sports heroes to advertise them;
I would get control of the media, so that every night I could pollute the mind of every family member for my agenda;
I would attack the family, the backbone of any nation;BR> I would make divorce acceptable and easy, even fashionable. If the family crumbles, so does the nation;
I would compel people to express their most depraved fantasies on canvas and movie screens, and I would call it art;
I would convince the world that people are born homosexuals, and that their lifestyles should be accepted and marveled;
I would convince the people that right and wrong are determined by a few who call themselves authorities and refer to their agenda as politically correct;
I would persuade people that the church is irrelevant and out of date, and the Bible is for the naive;
I would dull the minds of Christians, and make them believe that prayer is not important, and that faithfulness and obedience are optional;


I guess I would leave things pretty much the way they are.

 

[Scott1]

Hello and blessings to you all!

I am going on vacation to lovely Cape Cod for the next 10 days , and I wanted to leave one last tid-bit.......
from the "real" SOGFPP: Servant of God Father Patrick Peyton,CSC

"I can think of no greater service to Mary, the Mother of God, and to women than for the Holy Father to spell out so clearly Mary’s role as a model for contemporary women, women who are asserting their full equality and co-responsibility with men in all areas of endeavor.
The modern woman will note with surprise that Mary of Nazareth, while completely devoted to the Will of God, was far from being a timidly submissive woman. Mary of Nazareth FREELY consented to become the Mother of Jesus, and by this decision she changed all of our lives."

Father Peyton on Document on Mary 4/74,
08-02-03-12-00

 

[Scott1]

A story tells that two friends were walking through the desert. In a specific point of the journey, they had an argument, and one friend slapped the other one in the face. The one, who got slapped, was hurt, but without anything to say, he wrote in the sand:

"TODAY, MY BEST FRIEND SLAPPED ME IN THE FACE."

They kept on walking, until they found an oasis, where they decided to take a bath. The one who got slapped and hurt started drowning, and the other friend saved him. When he recovered from the fright, he wrote on a stone:

"TODAY MY BEST FRIEND SAVED MY LIFE."

The friend who saved and slapped his best friend, asked him, "Why, after I hurt you, you wrote in the sand, and now you write on a stone?"

The other friend, smiling, replied: "When a friend hurts us, we should write it down in the sand, where the winds of forgiveness get in charge of erasing it away, and when something great happens, we should engrave it in the stone of the memory of the heart, where no wind can erase it" LEARN TO WRITE IN THE SAND.

 

[Scott1]

St. Therese, beloved friend, you promised to spend your heaven doing good upon earth. We come before you in our need. We believe that you listen to us and approach God for and with us. You are love in the heart of the Church. You are love in the heart of God. Please accept these petitions, hopes, needs, and dreams I list below. Please present them to our Loving Father so that God may do what is best for us, for our loved ones, and for the fulfillment of God's Kingdom. Continue your shower of roses in our lives. We ask you, dear friend, with bold confidence and loving surrender you taught us. We make this prayerful petition in the name of Jesus and through the power of His Spirit.

 

[Scott1]

God, our protector, keep us in mind; always give strength to your people. For if we can be with you even one day, it is better than a thousand without you. (Ps 83) August 18, 2004

Almighty God, ever-loving Father, your care extends beyond the boundaries of race and nation to the hearts of all who live. May the walls, which prejudice raises between us, crumble beneath the shadow of your outstretched arm. We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Peace,
Scott

 

[Scott1]

Ok, so she's not Catholic.... .... I read this today and just love it!

Many things continue to amaze me, even well into the sixth decade of my life. I'm startled or taken aback when people walk up to me and tell me they are Christians. My first response is the question "Already?" It seems to me a lifelong endeavor to try to live the life of a Christian. I believe that is also true for the Buddhist, for the Muslim, for the Janist, for the Jew, and for the Taoist who try to live their beliefs. The idyllic condition can not be arrived at and held on to eternally. It is in the search itself that one finds the ecstasy.

 

[Scott1]

Marriage resembles a pair of shears, so joined that they can not be separated; often moving in opposite directions, yet always punishing anyone who comes between them.

Sidney Smith
Lady Holland's Memoir (1885)

 

[Scott1]

Holy Guardian Angels
Dear Angel at my side, my good and loyal friend, you have been with me since the moment I was born. You are my own personal guardian, given me by God as my guide and protector, and you will stay with me till I die. He who created you and me gave me to you as your particular charge. You assisted in great joy at my baptism, when I became part of the Mystical Body of Christ, and was made a member of the household of God and an heir of heaven. You saw the dangers that beset my path, and, if I sinned, it was in spite of you. You envied me when Christ came to me in Holy Communion. Even though you probably were there among the angels that adored Him the night that He was born, you have not been able to receive Him as I can. O, help me to appreciate these gifts! Help me to realize, as you do, with every fiber of my being, that to serve Christ is to be a King! Help me steadfastly to avoid evil and do good and always guard my soul from sin. Protect me as well from physical evils as I go about my daily work. You will be with me all my life, and at the hour of my death. Help me to face death bravely, patiently, with great love of God, knowing that it is only through death that I can come to Him in heaven! Then, come with me to my Judge, and when the hour of my salvation comes, take me home to my Father, God. Amen.

Daily Prayer to Guardian Angel​

Angel of God​

My guardian dear​

To Whom His love​

Commits me here​

Ever this day​

Be at my side​

To light and guard​

To rule and guide. Amen​

 

[Scott1]

An elderly carpenter was ready to retire. He told his employer contractor of his plans to leave the house building business and live a more leisurely life with his wife enjoying his extended family. He would miss the paycheck, but he needed to retire. They could get by.

The contractor was sorry to see his good worker go and asked if he could build just one more house as a personal favor. The carpenter said yes, but in time it was easy to see that his heart was not in his work. He resorted to shoddy workmanship and used inferior materials.

It was an unfortunate way to end his career. When the carpenter finished his work and the builder came to inspect the house, the contractor handed the front door key to the carpenter. "This is your house," he said, "my gift to you."

What a shock! What a shame! If he had only known he was building his own house, he would have done it all so differently. Now he had to live in the home he had built none too well.

So it is with us. We build our lives in a distracted way, reacting rather than acting, willing to put up less than the best. At important points we do not give the job our best effort. Then with a shock we look at the situation we have created and find that we are now living in the house we have built. If we had realized that we would have done it differently.

Think of yourself as the carpenter. Think about your house. Each day you hammer a nail, place a board, or erect a wall. Build wisely.

It is the only life you will ever build. Even if you live it for only one day more, that day deserves to be lived graciously and with dignity. The plaque on the wall says, "Life is a do-it-yourself project." Who could say it more clearly? Your life today is the result of your attitudes and choices in the past. Your life tomorrow will be the result of your attitudes and the choices you make today.

 

[Scott1]

Prayer is the most powerful weapon a Christian has.
Prayer makes us effective.
Prayer makes us happy.
Prayer gives us all the strength that we need to fulfill God's commands.

Yes, indeed, your whole life can and should be prayer.

Saint Josemaria Escriva

 

[Scott1]

Day after day proclaim the salvation of the Lord. Proclaim his glory to all nations. (Ps 95)

Lord Jesus, we come before you in prayer this day remembering the life of St. Bartholomew who left all to follow you. Our world is in need of people like St. Bartholomew, who by his example of what a true disciple is, gives us courage to follow you with our whole heart and to grow in becoming true disciples in our world. May we be open to receive the graces that are needed to leave all and follow you. We ask this in your name. Amen.

 

[Scott1]

Listen, Lord, and answer me. Save your servant who trusts in you. I call to you all day long, have mercy on me, O Lord. (Ps 85)

Lord our God, all truth is from you, and you alone bring oneness of heart. Give your people the joy of hearing your word in every sound and of longing for your presence more than for life itself. May all the attractions of a changing world serve only to bring us the peace of your kingdom which this world does not give. We ask this in your name. Amen.

 

[Scott1]

The Lord opened his mouth in the assembly, and filled him with the spirit of wisdom and understanding, and clothed him in a robe of glory. (Sir 15)



Lord Jesus, we celebrate the feast of St. Augustine who after his conversion devoted his life to teaching others about conversion and forgiveness and about what it takes to follow you. May the teachings of St. Augustine be ever before us as we walk this journey in faith. Let us be filled with this spirit and may we always hunger for your presence in our lives. We ask this in your name. Amen.

 

[sankazhria16]

Lord God, help us to love our neighbors and our enemies and to promote peace by turning the other cheek. Help us to not retaliate in anger when attacked by others, or to make, promote, or participate in war against other nations or peoples. Let there be peace on Earth, and let it begin with me. Help me not to judge others because they are different or because I do not understand them, but help me to be inclusive of those of all races, genders, nationalities, religions, ideologies, and, yes, sexual orientations.

Help us to reject the acquisition of great financial wealth while so many children go hungry.

Help us to constantly question our beliefs in order to ascertain the that which is good and true and right, and that it may make the foundations of our faith stronger. In Jesus' name, Amen.