This Little Light of Mine: Living the Beatitudes

This Little Light of Mine: Living the Beatitudes
By Kathleen Basi
2013, Liguori

The forward of Kathleen Basi’s new book, This Little Light of Mine says, “No one can teach well what he or she doesn’t know well. The best way to ensure that religious formation “takes” is for parents to live their faith, to be seekers alongside their children. Then, children see that religion is not something you learn about in childhood and consider finished. Rather, it must grow and change throughout life.”

This sums up the mission of this relevant “little” book, which is a terrific resource, not only for parents but also for children. Each chapter begins with quotes from Scripture, followed by a section aimed at Parents (with occasional references to the Catechism of the Catholic Church), a second section for the children and then “Just Live It” suggestions for how to live the virtue (often including an activity or craft.) Interspersed throughout each chapter, the author shares her own relevant life experiences.

There are many pertinent and inspiring quotes in this book…these are just a few:

On humility: “…means accepting what we don’t want to accept…trusting that God has a plan, even if it makes no sense to us,” and the author stresses that regular confession is important in this regard. Mention is made of St. Therese, the Little Flower, who lived the ordinary and did small things to the best of her ability.

On suffering: “As unpleasant as it is, suffering is good for us. It stretches the soul, offers opportunities to grow in ways we couldn’t without it.”

Under Matrimony, Physical Symbols (from the chapter: Sacraments and Private Devotion): “Though we most often think of rings and a white dress as symbols of marriage, neither of those is essential to the sacrament. What is essential is the physical union of the two becoming one (the vows). The marriage act is where the vows, which promise a complete self-gift, become real. This is why the Church teaches that all sexual acts must be open to the possibility of life, for how can couples claim to give and receive each other fully when such a major part of who they are is off-limits to each other and to God? The Church’s least popular teaching simply acknowledges what human beings were created to be. We are most ourselves when we use our bodies in harmony with the way God created them. (My emphasis). Through marriage, we become one; and as one, we look to the future of the possibility of life (openly and honestly.)“ In simple, easy-to-understand language, Basi explains why contraception and same-sex marriage cannot be “in harmony with the way God created” us.

On persecution (chapter 8): “When discipleship leads us to life practices that others find threatening or strange, like using natural family planning or living simply and less luxuriously than the norm, people may roll their eyes and call us out of touch with the real world, or make any number of other belittling, contemptuous remarks.” This is an excellent point: persecution does not necessarily involve martyrdom. If we are living our Catholicity, it will not be popular. I’ve seen my share of eye rolling and criticisms within our own extended circle of family and friends because of our openness to life (and our refusal to get sterilized), our outspoken pro-life beliefs and our stance against same sex marriage.

On faith (chapter 9): “Each of us is called to serve in unique ways; each of us has gifts and contributions to make that no one else can make, purposes for which God put us on the earth.” It is up to each one of us to discern how we are called to serve. One of the most important ways is to promote and bring the Catholic faith to others. As mentioned in the beginning, we cannot promote or teach a faith we don’t know. This Little Light of Mine is an excellent basic guide to Catholicism and is easy to read for both parent and child. It is a terrific resource that can help each member of the family learn their faith better.

Highly recommend!

Order This Little Light of Mine: Living the Beatitudes and support CatholicMom.com with your purchase

Copyright 2013 Ellen Gable Hrkach

How Will You Respond When Your Teen Asks Why You’re “So Religious?”

As the mother of a teenager, she’s described me in many unexpected ways, from “stalker mom” for checking her social media sites and cell phone, to “out of it” for believing the remakes of my favorite 80s songs are not nearly as great as the originals. I can usually handle it, and most of the time, I try not to take her stinging remarks personally.

So then why when she described me as “so religious,” did it cause me to take a serious pause? Why did I think about it for days and days after our conversation that followed?

Is it because not so many years ago, if someone would’ve told me, I would be viewed as religious, I would’ve laughed out loud in disbelief?

Is it because the word, “religious”, holds negative connotations in today’s society, like “intolerant,” “rigid,” “naïve” and “non-intelligent (stupid)?”

Is it because I actually felt okay with my oldest daughter asking me about being “so religious?” Is it because my teen sees me as “religious” in a curious way, not in the frustrated way she calls me “uncool?”

Weeks later, I still can’t fully answer the questions, but I came to a conclusion: If my teen sees me as religious, it’s a good thing. It means I’m role modeling my Catholic faith, enough for her to ask me questions about it.

And hopefully, it may be enough for her to keep her own faith alive when she leaves home, and she’s not with her “so religious, stalker mom” on a daily basis.

Here’s how the conversation occurred one evening after family dinner. We were making small talk about one her friends that decided to sit with another group that day at lunch.

Then suddenly, “Mom, why are so religious?” The questions come more quickly, unexpectedly, giving me no time to ponder a savvy response. The questions get tougher, as my two daughters get older.

As I shared earlier, my teen asked the question thoughtfully, not accusingly.  She asked me out of pure curiosity.

My first, automatic response: “Because I love God, and I know He loves me.”

Her quick response in turn: “But, I love God. I just don’t know about some of this religious stuff.” She then looked at me a bit hesitant to go on. I purposely didn’t fill the silence. “I mean, I like going to Mass and everything,” she added with assurance.

Wanting to be encouraging, I replied carefully, “Well, if you love God, and you like going to Mass, you’re doing really well on your spiritual path. You’re young and you have a lot to learn yet. When I was your age, I questioned my faith too. It’s normal. Besides, going to Mass is the greatest prayer you can give to God.”

She nodded in agreement, looking relieved. I felt I could’ve talked to her more but then it would’ve turned into a “mom lecture.”

In hindsight, I started considering more thoughtfully that some aspects of our Catholic faith can feel frightening and intimidating to our children – and to adults. As children grow into teens, they begin to consider how their faith fits into their future plans.

I’m learning that the most important thing I can do for my girls, is to practice and to grow in the Church myself, even when I feel frightened and intimidated by my faith and my life. I strive to do this, and it’s not easy. This must be how I earned the “so religious” title when I didn’t try out for it.

My daughters know that I’ll attend weekday Masses whenever I can with my work schedule. I share with them that it gives me strength and peace for my busy days. They see the rosary in my vehicle, and I tell them I can pray the five decades on the way to my daughter’s high school.

Although they’ve seen me recently starting to read during Liturgy of the Word and distribute Holy Communion at Masses, it’s more often the little things like the consistency of prayers before meals – even when their friends are over – and blessings at bedtime that make a bigger impression on my daughters.

As a Mom, there is only so much I can do to help form my daughters in their faith life. I can’t control how God will work in their lives. Yet I’m grateful I’m here to pray for them and with them, to take them to Mass and the sacraments – and to answer their questions and to talk about the faith – unexpectedly or planned. The rest is in God’s hands.

Copyright 2013 Kim Seidel 

Wake Up to the Creed is a simple app that solves a complex problem:  learning—and praying—the new translation of the Nicene Creed.

For the Year of Faith, Pope Benedict XVI recommended that Catholics pray the Creed daily.

Until I heard that, I didn’t even realize that the Creed was actually a prayer. Sure, I say it every Sunday at Mass, just after the homily, but there’s a big difference between saying the words and praying the prayer.

For the past year and a half, the Creed has been a Near Occasion of Frustration for me, because the words have changed with the new translation of the Mass. I don’t get all bothered by big words like “consubstantial,” but I can’t recite the Creed on autopilot anymore. Not accurately, anyway.

That might be a good thing, because going through Mass on autopilot is way less than ideal.

I keep the “pew cue card” on my music stand and read the Creed from there, but I’ve wanted to learn it by heart. It’s going to take a long time to memorize something that I only say one time on one day a week.

Wake Up to the Creed allows me to set an alarm for any time of day:  a wake-up alarm, or one at midmorning, late afternoon, any time I want. Church bells ring to begin the prayer time, then the Creed is recited. I can learn the Creed in Latin, Polish, Spanish or French, with or without background music.

Right now, I’m sticking to English. Praying the Creed daily is helping me to learn the words—and to remember that the Creed is more than words. It is the affirmation of our Faith. Praying it frequently will help to deepen that faith.

Wake Up to the Creed is easy to use. Set an alarm, select a language, and you’re all set. Or use the “Player” option to listen to the Creed immediately. My only wish is that the text of the Creed is not displayed on the screen during the recitation. I am very visually-oriented, so I like to have the words handy to read along.

This app is 99-cents well-spent; for the price of a song you’ll be tired of in two or three days, you’ve gained a prayer to learn and live for a lifetime.

Read more of our Tech Talk columns.

Copyright 2013 Barb Szyszkiewicz

Watch this video on YouTube.

Carol’s Lemonade Chicken

Carol’s Lemonade Chicken

Makes 4 servings

4 chicken breasts, skin removed
2 cloves garlic minced
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 6-ounce can frozen lemonade concentrate thawed
1/2 cup water
3 teaspoons chicken bouillon
1 green bell pepper small, cut in 1-inch strips
1 red bell pepper small, cut in 1-inch strips
1 yellow pepper small cut in 1-inch strips, or 1 small yellow summer squash, cut in 1/4 -inch slices
2 teaspoons cornstarch

1. Cut chicken into uniform strips, about 2 x 1/2 x 1/2 -inch.* In a 10-inch skillet over medium high heat, sauté chicken and garlic in oil until chicken is no longer pink on the outside. Reduce heat to medium.

2. Add lemonade concentrate, 1/4 cup of the water and bouillon granules. Cook for 10 minutes or until liquid is reduced by half.

3. Add peppers. Cover and cook for 5 minutes or until peppers are crisp-tender.

4. In a small bowl, stir remaining 1/4 cup water and cornstarch until smooth. Pour into skillet. Bring to a boil and boil for 1 minute.

Find more great family recipes and meal planning assistance at Dine Without Whine

The Mouth as a Lethal Weapon

We have all done it–said too much or said the wrong thing and regretted it later. Too often, opening our mouths releases gossip, complaints, or destructive words. Our tongue is a concealed weapon—the most lethal. “Do not fear those who kill the body but are unable to kill the soul; but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.” (Matt 10:28). A gun or knife can wound the body, but inflicts no damage on the soul, yet the tongue can mortally wound it.

In theory, it would seem easy to control our tongue. It’s small and even can be kept locked up simply by shutting our mouths. Yet, for something that weighs so little, it so often weighs us down in sin.

Talking is one of those things that we should quit while we are ahead. “In a multitude of words, sin is not lacking” (Proverbs 10:19). I am often guilty of this so I am not pointing fingers. I think women are especially vulnerable because we tend to be sociable and innately talk more than men—not that men can’t also wag a mean tongue.

Our tongues often seem to have a mind of their own and before we know it, we’ve blurted out too much information or something better left unsaid. Sometimes we mask gossip as concern—I’m really worried about her…. or excuse it as a need to vent or confide in someone.

And yet, in the confessional, we need to acknowledge that we have sinned. I’ve heard some people say that as long as it’s true, it’s not really gossip. Or others know about it anyways, so it’s okay to repeat. But God reads what is in our hearts. If we do not have a valid reason to let someone know about something—information that they need to know to prevent a problem—then spreading scandal or reporting on bad behavior is simply not our God-given task. For me, I use the standard that if I won’t say it in front of the person or want them to know I said it, then I should not say it at all.

The Power of Words

Here are some common ways that our words get us into trouble.

• Detraction – repeating something true without a good reason (Sirach 21).
• Racial jokes that encourage hatred or sexual jokes which use impurity for entertainment (Ephesians 5:3-4).
• Calumny – talking about someone’s faults. “Do not judge, and you will not be judged; and do not condemn, and you will not be condemned…” (Luke 6:37).
• Arguing – speaking nasty or using biting remarks
• Criticizing –constant complaining and scolding to vent rather than desire to help another out of love. (Proverbs 21:9).
• Breaking confidences – “Don’t tell anyone else, but…..” (Proverbs 11:13).
• Listening to the words of others can be wrong. “An evildoer listens to wicked lips; a liar pays attention to a destructive tongue” (Proverbs 17:4).

God gave us the gift of speech. We use it to praise and glorify him. Our words can evangelize and lift others up in spirit. But talking can also be a waste of time, empty, frivolous, and gossipy. It can take time away from our family, prayer or tasks we should be tending to.

Instead of talking to God, we often seek comfort through venting and say things against people that should be left unspoken. And once it’s out of our mouth, even trying to take it back does not completely undo bad impressions of those we’ve spoken about and how it reflects on our own character. Through our excessive talking we are also often on the receiving end of listening to gossip and the business of others.

Like any addiction—and talking is an addiction—it’s a day-by-day, ongoing task not to overindulge. For many, the first step is to recognize the times we let words lead to sin. This might mean asking God to reveal these times and asking him to help us use our speech appropriately.

Another way to stop misusing our speech is to avoid situations that often lead to gossip. Going out for coffee, talking on the phone too long, and other socializing occasions might be the times we are most guilty of using our tongue as a weapon. Avoid these situations altogether or cut them short. If those around us begin to gossip, counteract by saying something positive or laying it on the line: “I’m really trying to stay away from gossip,” then change the subject.

We can also pray for the gift of silence. Through confession, our sins of the tongue will be absolved and we will receive graces to avoid them in the future. If additional incentive is needed, here is thought to keep in mind: It is better to remain silent and let people think you are dumb than to open your mouth and remove all doubt.

Copyright 2013 Patti Maguire Armstrong

Scrubbing the Porch

If we acknowledge our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive our sins and cleanse us from every wrongdoing. 1 John 1:9

Last week my oldest son helped me power wash the front porch…a job the kids don’t usually line up and beg to help with! The combination of dust from our gravel road and lots of fly’s attracted by the cattle make it a necessary but undesirable task. As I was swirling my scrub brush along the siding and porch rail I figured I should pray for people who were knee-deep in things a whole lot worse than fly specks and road dust! Not long into the scrubbin and prayin I started thinking about how small dust and fly specks really are when you isolate just one. The problem is when they glob together…that’s when true scrubbing is required! Our porch is pretty good sized so I had lots of time to think about how something that started out so tiny could cause such a big mess.

About a third of the way through the project, I looked down at my fingers that were getting shriveled from the scrub water and that’s when it hit me…the mess on my porch was kinda like sin. I realized through this humbling episode of porch scrubbing that I’m nothing but a big ‘ole sinner! Each little sin like impatience or judgmental thinking that plagues my days is like a speck on my porch…one at a time they may not seem like much, but when several glob together, I wind up with a mess that requires scrubbing! We only scrub the porch once a year, not because it isn’t needed more often, but because it’s the minimum requirement…something we do only when we simply can’t stand it any longer. I began to wonder if there was any correlation between the frequency with which I scrubbed my porch and how often I sought a good “soul scrubbing” from my Heavenly Father.

I sweep the porch often, and I began to realize that was much like my nightly examination of conscience. I quickly ask God for forgiveness before I fall asleep but that’s like a quick sweep…it’s not a true scrubbing. I came to the conclusion that sunny afternoon last week that I needed to make some adjustments in my “soul scrubbing” schedule. We are so lucky to be the children of such a loving and mighty God. He knows keeping us from sin completely is as impossible as keeping the dust and fly specks off my porch, but that’s what keeps us running to His loving arms as we beg forgiveness for the mess all our tiny little sins make when they glob together. His forgiveness is there for us. All He asks is that we come to Him with a spirit of repentance and a desire to change. If I approached Him with a TRUE repentant heart and worked harder at avoiding those small sins maybe He wouldn’t have to scrub so hard when I got there!

My ambition was to have a clean porch; the outcome was a reminder of God’s great love and my ever-growing need for Him. Our God is the God of surprises and the God of the ordinary. I am continually amazed at the ways He sends me His messages when I approach things with prayer…He can even turn scrubbin the porch into a lesson!

A seed to plant: Sit down with a pencil and a piece of paper. Make a list of all the tiny little sins that plague your day and glob up to make a mess on your soul. Lift that list up to the Father with a repentant heart asking for His loving forgiveness. Don’t forget to ask for His guidance on how to “keep your porch clean.”

Copyright 2013 Sheri Wohlfert

The Catholic Baby Name Book

I was named after a tugboat.

Seriously.

I was born in the late 1950s and many girls I went to high school with shared that tugboat’s name: Cheryl Ann. Apparently in the mid 1950s there was a popular show called “Waterfront” which starred Preston Foster as the captain of the L.A. Harbor tugboat.

To this day, whenever I run across a woman who appears to be around my age and whose name is Cheryl, I can almost be certain that her middle name is Ann. In fact, I spoke at a recent conference and while signing books was asked by a woman if my own middle name was Ann. Her nametag identified her as a “Cheryl” and we immediately connected. A chuckle erupted between us and our heads nodded in agreement. Yep, we were each Cheryl Ann.

How we choose to name our children is important. In her new book “The Catholic Baby Name Book,” Patrice Fagnant-MacArthur takes that importance very seriously.

With more than 10,000 names, Fagnant-MacArthur covers a lot of ground. Flipping through the pages I found many of the boy’s names very interesting. (Since I am the mother of all boys I tend to hone in on boy stuff but do see that the girl’s names are also intriguing!) All named for saints, unique names such as Ennodius and Magenulf are included. The author also lists, in many instances, all the variations of a name. For instance, Makael, Makaio, Makal, Makel, Makis all direct the reader back to Michael which indentifies him as a saint from the New Testament and then gives additional variations of the name along with some more famously names St. Michael’s like St. Michael the Confessor. The entry concludes with a few sentences about St. Michael the Archangel.

Fagnant-MacArthur does have directions for how to use the book and since she used “Elizabeth” as an example—and Elizabeth is one of my favorite names and the name of my fiction book (Elizabeth: A Holy Land Pilgrimage), I forgive her for not having my own name within the pages!

The book itself is over 500 pages and really is a fun book to read through. I would definitely give this book at baby showers and in some ways am disappointed that it is called a “baby name” book because I think it would be a great book for kids preparing for their confirmation and needing to find “cool” saint names. Nonetheless, I applaud Fagnant-MacArthur for this massive undertaking and highly recommend this book to have and to give.

Order The Catholic Baby Name Book and support CatholicMom.com with your purchase

Copyright 2013 Cheryl Dickow

Today is blustery. My windows are open. A strong breeze whips my curtains about and the wind is rustling in the trees. I sense God’s presence here with me in the otherwise quiet room. A subdued awe holds down the excitement that begins to rise.

If an ordinary day can stir my emotions so deeply, I can hardly imagine what the first disciples must have felt gathered together on Pentecost when “a strong driving wind” filled the entire house, delivering tongues of fire to rest on their heads and flooding them with tremendous gifts to build our community, the Church.

When I reflect on that first Pentecost, awe and fear of the Lord fill me. He does such amazing things with some not-so-amazing and rather ordinary people like Peter and Paul, Mary Magdalene–and you and I.

Yes, you and I.

God descended upon them, and He descends upon us today. He continues to use common folks to spread His Word and build His Church; and He provides us with all the tools needed to accomplish that work, just as He did for the first believers.

If the idea that God wants to use you to build up the Kingdom doesn’t fill you with at least a tad of wholesome fear and trepidation, then you probably aren’t really paying close attention.  So, here’s the basic breakdown: God–you know, the Fella Who created and maintains the entire universe? Yeah, that guy–He has a job for you and He’s going to come in person and fall upon you.

“Why would He want to use me?” you might say. “I don’t have the skills or ability to do anything.“

God knows what you can and can’t do and He gives you grace for the mission. God has a gargantuan bag of sanctifying grace and He’s going to reach into that bag and gift you with whatever you need to get the job done.

At the first Pentecost, and ever since, the Holy Spirit has given us a mission as well as the method and means to accomplish it.

THE MISSION

So, what is the job? The mission is now, and always has been, to preach the Gospel to all nations, to build up the church and introduce everyone we possibly can to Christ.

“Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations . . .”  (Mt 28:19)

Roman Catholicism is the largest religious denomination in the world with 1.2 billion people claiming to be Roman Catholics and members of the Church on every inhabitable continent and possibly in every nation.

We might be inclined to be impressed. We may be tempted to say “Mission Completed,” but we know in our hearts the job is far from done.

Facebook has nearly as many devotees as the Catholic Church, 1 billion+, and its numbers are growing much faster than ours. If Facebook was a country it would be the third most populated one on Earth — and it’s a country that has yet to be claimed for Christ.

Make no mistake about it, this is a mission field:

• 91 % of all adults use search engines
• 81% of U.S. adults use the internet (September 2012 survey)
• 95% of teens use the internet
• 87% of U.S. adults own a cell phone, 45% of whom own smartphones
• 78% of teens now have a cell phone, and almost half (47%) of them own smartphones.
• 66% use social media (up from 11% in 2002)
• 27% of all time spent on the internet is spent on social media

“The world of digital communication, with its almost limitless expressive capacity, makes us appreciate all the more Saint Paul’s exclamation: “Woe to me if I do not preach the Gospel” (1 Cor 9:16) The increased availability of the new technologies demands greater responsibility on the part of those called to proclaim the Word, but it also requires them to become more focused, efficient and compelling in their efforts.”

~ Pope Benedict XVI

The US Bishops tell us in the USCCB’s Disciples Called to Witness,

“Evangelization occurs most effectively when the Church engages the culture of those she evangelizes.”

To engage this modern culture we must take part in it. To effectively engage this modern culture we must take part in it under the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

The early disciples went out into untamed lands to spread the Good News. We must do that as well. Christians are always to be missionary.

Where the people are is where the Holy Spirit want to be. The people are online. Six out of seven people on the planet do not yet have the fullness of the truth that is the Catholic Church. Jesus wants these souls and the Holy Spirit wants us to give them to Him. We have to go out to them and share the good news.

THE METHOD

People are online because they long for God. Even if not all of them know it!

Pope Benedict highlights this truth when he said that,

“In the final analysis, the truth of Christ is the full and authentic response to that human desire for relationship, communion and meaning which is reflected in the immense popularity of social networks.”

Humans are social beings who desire friendship and communion. Ultimately it will come from God but we seek it with each other. To share Christ with others, we must go to those places where they are seeking to fill their longings for community. In today’s world that place is often social networks.

Okay, so we know where he wants us to be, but how will we win them over once we get there?

Start with people you know, just like any other form of evangelization, communicating with whomever God has placed in front of you, and work on getting to know more people so you can share the Good News with them.

Reaching out to new people can be daunting sometimes, but we should remember that Pope Emeritus Benedict has encouraged us to ”identify new ways of evangelization with missionary audacity.”  Audacity means “boldly without fear.”  Don’t you just LOVE that?

The key to getting past fear can be found in scripture—perfect Love will cast it out and, since we can’t be perfect under our own power, this is where the Holy Spirit comes in with that huge bag of gifts!

We will win the world over through the gifts of the Spirit. That’s why God gives them to us. They aren’t just fun novelty toys for our religious amusement. They serve a purpose and that purpose is always aimed at growing the body of Christ and snatching as many souls from the fire as we can.

THE MEANS

The primary gifts of the Holy Spirit granted to every Catholic are: Wisdom, Understanding, Counsel, Fortitude, Knowledge, Piety, and Awe. He wants us to take these gifts into the pagan world and convince them through our actions to come home to Christ.

People think wisdom refers to knowing and understanding many facts. In terms of gifts of the Holy Spirit, though, that’s not quite right. Wisdom is the desire to know love and serve God in the way He wants to be known, loved and served. It is an openness to living the contemplative moment of God.

An example of wisdom in our New Evangelization would be following the inspiration to shut off the computer and pray before answering someone trolling your comment box.

Our society brazenly flaunts its evil online and, too often, we are so eager to jump right in there and start winning souls for Christ that we end up hurting and angering others instead.

Win the argument, but lose the soul?

Hint: If you think you’re winning anybody’s soul, it’s time to shut off the computer and pray! Only Christ wins souls–not us. Sometimes, if we’re lucky, He chooses to do so through us.

The gifts of the Holy Spirit are meant to build up the church; they make us good, usable tools in the hands of Christ. So, if your online evangelization efforts seem to create more conflict than win souls, it’s very possible you might unwittingly be doing it more for your own glory than God’s. And that means it’s time to step away from the computer, pray, and listen before continuing the conversation.

Wisdom requires silence, a lot of silence, including online silence, and patience. Be patient (it’s a virtue!) and wait for the Holy Spirit to come. Even the early Christians had to wait before going out to conquer the pagan world.

While meeting with them, he enjoined them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for “the promise of the Fatherabout which you have heard me speak;for John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the holy Spirit.” (Act 1 : 4-5 )

If you wait in wisdom, often understanding comes. Understanding is different than wisdom. You can have wisdom with little or no understanding, which enables us to grasp and comprehend the Catholic faith with some degree of certitude.

Understanding should not be confused with knowledge, which is also a good thing and can at times be a gift of the Spirit, but not always. Saul had pretty impressive knowledge as a Jew. Yet, it was not until Christ knocked him off his high horse that he began to gain understanding . . . and even then, he had to spend a decade relearning everything he thought he knew about scripture!

We see understanding in use in the New Evangelization with the many gifted apologists who have read the scriptures and the catechism and mesh it all together into fresh and logical arguments.

Understanding is reflected not only in your grasp of the subject matter, but also by how well you are able to bring others to a similar comprehension. Scott Hahn would be an ideal example of understanding at work in our world.

Counsel is sometimes called right judgment.  Do you know right from wrong? Do you act in accordance to that? If so, that is the gift of good counsel at work.

Counsel perfects the virtue of prudence and aids in the ability to judge how to act in a given situation. Counsel can be seen in the charitable, tactful, and well-informed responses of the faithful in the comments sections when friends, relations, and politicians promote abortion or same sex marriage on blogs, Facebook, or Twitter.

A gay libertarian who, by his own words, disagrees “with the Catholic Church on just about everything!” told my daughter that Catholics were his favorite protesters. You see, there once was an abortion clinic right next to his shop and he would watch the protesters.  The Catholics, he said, were always praying and respectful, and the little, old, Catholic ladies never seemed to get angry when the pro-abortion activist would spit at them or yell profanities. What he saw acting  in the Catholic protestors is the gift of counsel–doing what’s right in the right way.

Fortitude is sometimes called courage.   With this gift, you will be able to stand up for God and the truths taught by the Holy Catholic Church.  You could say it is the gift of conviction, which gives you the strength to follow through on good counsel.

A priest I know says, “Sometimes in marriage you’re going to feel like you’re dying. When you feel like it’s killing you, that’s when you know God is calling you to stand firm as a witness to love.”

When Christian couples marry, and then stay married even though the extremely tough times they are publicly evangelizing to their children, their communities and the whole world. When you behave with chastity proper to the marriage state online, that is the gift of fortitude. When you repeatedly clarify the truth of marriage when everyone else is calling to redefine it, that is fortitude.

As mentioned above, knowledge is frequently confused with wisdom or understanding. Wisdom is a desire to understand and do the will of God. Understanding is an ability to comprehend the faith.  Knowledge is holding of information that  accords the ability to do things according to the faith, to live up the purposes of God.

The internet is a great boon to this gift. We all now have quick and convenient access to the Catechism of the Church, the scriptures, and the teachings of the saints!  Once you have the basic gift of knowledge of what it is the church teaches, looking up the specific wording and citation is easy — it’s all just a google away.

Piety is probably the most misunderstood of all the gifts the Holy Spirit bestows, with many negative connotations in the modern world. “Look how pious she is!” is too often spoken as a sarcasm, rather than a compliment!

Piety is not just being super-sweetly religious. The hypocritical Pharisees were religious people, but they weren’t truly pious because everything they did was to serve themselves, not God.

Piety is the desire to serve and worship God out of love, rather than from duty or social and cultural obligation. Piety is relationship with God.

Piety can feel awkward in the modern world, our new mission field. Someone posts a Saint of the Day quote or a beautiful picture of the Blessed Mother. When we “like” or “share” it, we  are expressing a form of piety because we are helping to make the online community one more place to glorify our Lord.

Awe, more commonly known as Fear of the Lord, is all about proper perspective. It’s knowing who God is and who you are. It’s a desire not to offend Him and the grace we need not to do so.

Contemplate this “awesome” perspective for a few moments:

In our human arrogance, we occasionally think we’ve advanced so far, but we must never forget how little we actually know. As much information as we have gathered together in the last 30 years on the internet is as one book in a universe of libraries in comparison to what God holds in His Being, always has and always will . . . and infinitely more.  He doesn’t have to search.  He never loses a file; it’s all right there in Him.

Then, when we are justly humbled in our arrogance, awe will have served its purpose because only then will we realize our need for His grace to continue learning and yearning to know everything there is to know in God.

These major gifts are given in various measure to all the faithful and feed other more practical and specialized gifts such as prayer, tongues/languages, administration, evangelism, exhortation, financial helps, mercy, pastoring, prophecy, servitude, and teaching—all of which are given to specific people for specific jobs that need to be done to grow the church and bring the Body of Christ to full maturity.
Do you doubt that you actually have these gifts?

Don’t doubt, but believe!

You have them; if you are having trouble feeling them, then ask for them by name in prayer and frequent the sacraments. These are the ordinary ways that God enters our lives.

There are so many ways your gifts can be put to use.  Always, and in every case, the most effective way to use the gifts of the Spirit to help promote the gospel in our modern mission field is to be yourself, be friendly, interact with people, and be authentically Catholic.

Ask the Holy Spirit: “What gifts have You given me for this task—and why?”

This Pentecost take some time to meditate on what gifts you have and what gifts you may still need to be an effective ambassador of Christ online. While it may seem rather daunting at times remember what Blessed John Paul II always told us:  Be not afraid!

Read more of our Tech Talk columns.

Copyright 2013 Jen Haganey

Daily Scriptures Reflection

Scripture: Lectionary 301. Acts 25:13-21. Psalm 103:1-2.11-12.19-20. John 21:15-19:

• Today’s Scriptures
• USCCB Video Reflection
• Saints of the Day

“Follow me!” These are the last words that Jesus speaks to Peter, the apostle. In doing so, he helps Peter renew the initial call to follow Jesus in his ministry. Now he will be led by Jesus for the rest of his life. He is strengthened by the Resurrection and the ultimate message about how Peter will die. It prepares him for his eternal life with Jesus.

We hear the dialogue in which Jesus asks Peter if he loves him. Three times he responds to the question. I do not think it is a confession of Peter’s denials of Jesus; rather it is a confirmation of the virtue that makes him a true follower of the Lord in all respects. The message of love is the message of the Johannine Jesus both in the Gospel and in the three epistles attributed to John. It never gets tired for the one being loved to hear that he or she is loved. Some commentators make a distinction in the use of the verbs agapao and phileo in this pericope (Scripture passage). That is not necessary. Both verbs can mean that deepest type of love possible between Jesus and his friends and apostles.

Jesus is confirming the love he has for Peter and offering the normal threefold emphasis that is characteristic of something important. The Bible often repeats things three times to bring home an important idea, message, or event. Love now is the central grace of Peter’s apostolic vocation as apostle and leader. It helps us the readers to strive for love in all we do for the Lord in our daily lives. Thus in this passage we can equate both forms of the verb love to mean the same type of love—intimate friendship and above all the spiritual love so often emphasized in the Gospel of John and the Johannine community.

Jesus tells Peter what kind of death he will suffer. It will be similar to that of the Master. Peter will live out the love of Jesus for the rest of his life—even when he is bound by someone else and no longer can accomplish his work as an active apostle. We all can take the passage as a way of preparing ourselves for the final days of our lives when we may be not able to move about. Whether we die slowly in a nursing home or while active or through an accident the love manifested in this dialogue in John is the type that will help us through those last agonizing or surprising moments. We all live this in a certain sense when we lose friends or community members who are very close to us and loved in a special way. Peter is a good model for us. He lived out these words of Jesus about love and remained strong in that love even at the hour of his death.

Our own following of Jesus is similar. We have received a call from Jesus to follow him as single, married, or vowed. Jesus has taken the initiative when it comes to the vocation we have and to the love we need to have. We must have both the love of friendship and the spiritual love Jesus is speaking about. In the end they are the same. Has not John said that we must love one another who we see if we want to say we truly love God whom we do not see? Amen.

Copyright 2013 Fr. Bertrand Buby, S.M. 

We’re building a wonderful partnership with our friends at Catholic Relief Services and are happy to spread the news about their great work being done around the world. We’ll be regularly sharing information and stories from both the FaithWorks section of CRS and their other initiatives as well. This week, I want to point you to the following stories that are sure to inspire:

Watch this video on YouTube.

• Looking Up – Edward Hoyt reminds us not to miss what’s right in front of us while we’re looking for God in our lives
• Looking for a gift for your favorite Grad? Consider a Celebration Gift or something from the CRS Gift Catalog and give the gift of hope!
• Cyclone Mahasen Approaches Bangladesh and Myanmar – Learn how CRS is preparing and responding
• Love Facebook? Be sure to “like” Catholic Relief Services there to keep in touch!

As always, we urge you to consider prayerful support and a financial gift to Catholic Relief Services.

Copyright 2013 Lisa M. Hendey

So how can we make our prayer personal? Whose words should we use when we desire to truly communicate? Someone else’s—a psalmist’s, a saint’s, the Liturgy’s, or our own? The answer lies in all of the above. But there are pitfalls, whether the prayer is the kind we memorize and recite or of the spontaneous variety.

Jen Fulwiler, a convert from atheism, stumbled into such a trap, when she was trying to get the hang of praying the Divine Office.  The recitation of Psalm 143, in particular, wasn’t working for her:

The enemy pursues my soul;
he has crushed my life to the ground;
he has made me dwell in darkness
like the dead, long forgotten.
Therefore my spirit fails;
my heart is numb within me.

“I was having a great day and feeling strong in my faith. . . This is totally not speaking to me! I thought. . . And then I remembered something that a commenter named Jasmine said. . .

‘Remember that the ‘prayer of the Church’. . . is for the whole Church. You will not identify with every psalm at every moment, so when you pray them think of all of the people in the world praying with you who DO identify with the psalm. Pray for them and on their behalf.’

It all finally clicked. . . As I had yawned through the psalmist’s cry of anguish, someone out there could barely utter those same words through trembling lips and tear-stung eyes. I thought of all the people praying the Hours in that state, and for the first time was conscious of our deep connectedness as we prayed in unison as part of the mystical Body of Christ. . .

I thought back to my words at the beginning of the office —“But this psalm doesn’t have anything to do with me!”— and realized that I had learned something critically important about prayer: It’s not all about me.”

Still, praying with another’s words can take some getting used to, especially if we have come from Protestant backgrounds or circles and been warned of vain repetition. Yet repetition isn’t the problem, vanity is—the vanity of trying to beat down Almighty God to get him to heed our desires. Jesus, Our Savior, is not simply an idea, an ethereal principle, a distant God for whom we must act in particular ways to please and appease. He’s not the God who requires a rain dance with a special kind of jig, clothing, and rhythm in order to flatter him into a pliable temper. Unlike the false god of Baal, he doesn’t require fervent empty acts in exchange for favors: “I just said the magic formula. Now, please do what I ask.” This is not prayer.

Repetition from a surrendered heart is something different entirely. In the case of the prayers of the Rosary, for instance, repetition is meant to be a doorway into the deeper mysteries of the life of Jesus and his mother. Repeating the beautiful words of the “Our Father” and the “Hail Mary” is a communication beyond words for those who sense munificent love of those to whom they are praying, because after years of intimacy, the most important things have been already said.

Rote and written prayers can also refresh because they don’t rely on the shallow puddle of our own resources. They can lift us out of our own circumstances, express the depth and range of human experience, and draw our attention to the divine, or to a Church feast or season, relieving us of excessive subjectivism.

Besides, if we reject all second-hand prayers, we’re left with only the spontaneous kind, which can put us in a bind if we’re leading a meeting and don’t know what to say. Plus, the pressure to be continuously creative without the help of “pre-fabricated” prayers can drastically shorten our one-on-one time spent with God. After just five minutes, our spontaneity can dry up. Conjuring our own words may come easy when we’re overcome with euphoria or desperation, but most of life plays out somewhere in between.  We’re tired, grouchy, drained of creative juice, but thank God, we can pray anyway, not only when we’re enjoying a peak psychological moment of expressive euphoria or conversely stewing in utterly cathartic misery.

But there are pitfalls here, too. We might feel obliged to pray words that we find off-putting—perhaps too flowery, complex, archaic, or casual for our taste. We might labor under the misconception that, since the St. Therese of Lisieux, “The Little Flower,” and St. Maximillian Kolbe were admirable saints, their prayers are somehow better than ours. And yet God wants us to become more fully ourselves through prayer, never someone else he never created us to be.

If we find that we aren’t truly being ourselves through the recitation of prayers, then it is time to put the printed word down and spontaneously tell God how we really feel, what we really want, what we really think. And then we need to really listen. God knows everything anyway. Hiding only means refusing to see ourselves, for we’ll never succeed in hiding from him.

Spontaneous prayers can have their pitfalls, as well, of course. Sometimes our words may try to pass themselves off as prayer. . . “I thank thee, O Lord, that I am not like other men. . .(Lk: 18:11)” isn’t a bad prayer. It’s just not prayer at all—neither are “Lord, grant me a mystical facelift,” or “Can you hurt her for me, please?”

Really, the question isn’t so much whose words we should use, anyway. As St. Teresa of Avila, the first female Doctor of the Church, said in her spiritual classic, The Interior Castle:

“. . .She who does not consider with whom she speaks, and what she asks, and who she is that asks, and of whom she asks, knows little of prayer, however much her lips may move. . . But whoever shall accustom himself to speak with the majesty of God, as he would talk with his slave, without considering whether he speaks properly or no, but who speaks only what comes first into his head, or what he may have learnt by heart by having repeated it at other times—this I do not consider to be prayer.” (The Interior Castle, by St. Teresa of Avila, T. Jones; London, 1852, p. 5)

In other words, whether prayer is spontaneous, read, or rote is not the point,  but whether we’re cognizant of who is talking to whom.

It’s a lesson for all of us. If we ourselves are prone to impersonal expressions, perhaps we are being called to address our own faith lives. Try this: Say the “Our Father,” and say it directly to the Father, imagining his full glorified presence before you, imagining him responding to your words. Remember, you are speaking to Someone. You may find, as I did, that you’ve never really prayed the Lord’s Prayer like this before.

There are other threats to intimate prayer, such as anger and blame, grief and resentment, self-pity and sin, shame and fear, little faith, hope, or love, believing in a demanding impersonal God, not really knowing who God. Any number of blocks can create a spiritual distance in our hearts. We are all capable of calling on God with our lips, spontaneously or by rote, while at the same time our heart is saying, “I don’t really want to talk to you.”

Sure, we may know our method, “say” our prayers, talk to God spontaneously, and show up faithfully (these are good things), but we may live a long distance from Jesus’ message in John 14: “If you abide in me, if you abide in my love, I will abide in you … and I will manifest myself to you.”

The goal of prayer is a union of love, a communion of mutual self-giving, in which we find a vulnerability, an intimacy, a knowing, and a belonging that rivals all earthly joys.

May we not only “say” our prayers, but exchange our happiness, our woes, and everything in between in a language of angelic intimacy. May we encounter the living God, not as that Someone we merely speak to, but as that Someone we love. . . and who loves us, specifically, personally, truly, always.

Copyright 2013 Christine Watkins

“There is no reason for a confinement house in the country, in the world, ANYWHERE!  Know your farmer, and just completely opt out of the system.”

American Meat – Is it *Possible* to Change the System?

Today’s Book Note is a guest article from my friend and fellow Catholic author Lori Diez, who kindly gives us an update on the wonderful Angel or Not? series for children. I’m a huge fan of Lori’s work and hope you enjoy learning about her terrific fiction! LMH

The Angel or Not? Book Series now has two books available in the projected 3 book series.  The books were written by, Lori Diez, a Catholic mom of three who after 18 years in Catholic School realized the need for fun, real-life books that incorporated good morals, values while reinforcing the Catholic faith.

The Angel or Not? series are engaging books for preteen children that focus on real life ups and downs of being a girl in Catholic school. Students will follow along with Angel as she travels through fourth grade and learns to handle her own conflicts while attempting to stay in ‘angel-mode’ even though, sometimes her thoughts and actions aren’t so angelic. Readers will associate with Angel as she realizes that every action has a consequence.

The books are not meant to teach our Catholic faith, but rather to integrate our faith with a story-line that children/students want to read because they feel a strong connection with the main character – Angel, her family and friends.  In addition, teachers like the books for class readers because they include bolded vocabulary words throughout the story and include word banks in the back. There is also a workbook PDF available for additional class participation. They are the perfect book series for 3-5th graders for summer reading. Children want to find out what happens in Book one and are eager to get their hands on its sequel!

The first book in the series focuses on Bullying and how to handle the bully, while the second book focus is that of cheating on a test and the consequences associated with cheating and lying. Both books can be ordered AND autographed by the author, directly off the website:

SPECIAL SUMMER PRICING: Buy both books for: $11.95  www.AngelsCatholicBooks.com                              TEACHERS: SPECIAL SCHOOL PRICING AVAILABLE ON TEACHER PAGE

Angel or Not? Angel for Sure! Book One:  In the first book of the series, Angel, the main character is being bullied and must figure out how to handle and befriend the bully. You’ll meet Sister Rita, Angel’s family, friends and her first crush—Dreamboat Tony!

It’s easy to be drawn into Angel’s world while she tries to solve the Sonya Mystery. You’ll understand why she feels stuck in the Twilight Zone during Sonya’s and brother Anthony’s accidents. The first 5 chapters are available on the website to review.  208pgs ~ RL 4.6

NOTE: Book one which came out in 2010 BUT has recently been revised to follow national bullying guidelines AND  the author felt the main character needed a slight attitude adjustment. Visit www.AngelsCatholicBooks.com  to read the REVISED first 5 chapters.

Angel or Not? Ohhh So Not!!!  Book Two: Your favorite characters are back and the drama continues!  As Angel, a fourth grader in Catholic school discovers why Sonya was a bully and must say “Goodbye” to the “Sonya Mystery.” Dreamboat Tony is still a dreamboat and Sister Rita is full of her usual surprises.  You’ll meet the new neighbors and get an “ear-full” from Angel’s Grammy. From a fender-bender with Dad, to playing on the Jesuit football field, brother Anthony is back in action!

In this captivating sequel, Angel’s world spirals out of control when she makes the worst mistake of her life!  Find out exactly what Angel did to earn the book its title: Angel or Not? Ohhh So Not!!!  - The first 5 chapters are available on the website to review visit: www.AngelsCatholicBooks.com   226 pgs ~  RL 4.9     

Students in 4^th and 5^th grades around the Tampa Bay and Orlando areas loved the first book and couldn’t wait for the second to find out how the Sonya Mystery turned out and to read more about Brother Anthony—the soon to be star Jesuit football player;

BOOKS RECOMMENDED BY:  The following are quotes taken from letters the students in fifth grade at St. Lawrence Catholic School in Tampa Florida, wrote after they read,  Angel or Not? Ohhh so Not!!! and participated as Jr. Editors in the final editing of the book. Also included are book reviews from teachers and principals for Angel or Not? Angel for Sure! And Angel or Not? Ohhh so Not!!!

Mrs. Hernandez, Principal: “Finally…a book for our Catholic children that is packed full of Catholic values amid real life situations. Bravo!”

Mrs. Cruikshank and Mrs. Williams: “The characters are real and down-to-earth.  Family life is portrayed with positive parental role models and with realistic relationships between siblings and friends.  A definite for our school library…can’t wait for the next book!”

“Mrs. Healea, teacher:  “A fabulous book for young Catholic children, a book filled with Catholic values.  In this book, children have the opportunity to read how their Catholic values are very influential with helping them make wise choices.  A must-read book for young Catholic children.”

STUDENTS:

Kevin: “The Angel or Not, Ohhh so Not” book is one of my favorites books!”

Alexis: “The book was full of funny things and ‘suspense.’ Like when Angel cheated and when Grammy’s hearing aid broke.”

Vincent:  “I have to say I really liked the book, but poor Sonya.  My class and I can’t wait to read the sequel. There will be a sequel, right?”

Olivia: “I loved your book. I loved it because it was about our Catholic faith. It was very good.”

Dillon: “I love your books they are quite exciting.  I also enjoy all the details in your books.  You are doing a Fantastic job as an author!

JP: “The book was a great book to read. I liked the part when Big Bud scores a bunch of touch-downs. The football game was a really cool part!”

Rosalice: “I can relate to that book because my family is just like that.”

Sara: “I enjoyed your book and it was a good lesson to not cheat and to tell the truth.”

Breanna:   “The book was great. My favorite thing about the book is that at least once on every page Angel asks herself (if she is being) an Angel or Not?”

Sophia: “Me and my dad read your book together and there were some very funny parts like with grandma’s hearing aid.”

Caroline:  “My favorite part of the book was the volleyball part.  You made the characters seem real!”

Christopher:  “I loved the Angel book because I love sports!”

About The Author

Lori Diez — as a young child at Sacred Heart Catholic School — had a dream, and today she embarks on making that dream a reality. Her aspirations started during Lent when she, a fourth grader, was collecting money to put in her rice bowl for children in need. Lori told her parents, “If I get a dime from everyone I meet I could buy a lot of rice to feed the children.” It was this vision and the desire to make her dream come true that started her writing.

As a truly blessed mother of three healthy, amazing children, she noticed that after their eighteen years (and counting) in parochial schools there were few books if any that were geared toward the children attending Catholic or Christian schools. Thanks to Randy, her loving husband of twenty-seven years whose own personal dreams made it possible for her to be a stay at home mother giving her the opportunity to be active in the daily lives of their children and the time to put her words on paper, she began Angel or Not? Angel for Sure!

To see her dream of caring for children in need to fruition and to show appreciation for the gift of life that was given to her by her maternal and adoptive parents, the author will donate 75% of the net profits from the sales of her book to The Heart Gallery of Tampa Bay. The Heart Gallery is a national organization that is instrumental in helping children find permanent homes with loving adoptive families. She hopes to make a dramatic difference by taking an active role in seeing that the monies generated by her book sales go directly to improving the quality of life for children waiting for adoption.

Copyright 2013 Lori Diez

My favorite gift is God’s Gift of a Joyful Attitude. Cheryl writes, “We find true, complete, and lasting joy when we discern God’s call upon our lives in our unique vocation. That is the miracle of seeking God’s perfect and holy will.” She explains that however joy presents itself it embodies God’s love for each of us as a wholly unique creature with a special place in his heart. Joy expresses, “the reality that God is with us in all things.”

Teresa gives her take on joy. “Real joy comes from having less and giving more.” Her statistics show that volunteers (such as pro-lifers) are healthier, happier and they live longer than non-volunteers. They are a gift to others and to themselves at the same time. “Joy is truly the gift that keeps on giving,” while “happiness is fleeting and much more dependent on feelings.”

Teresa uses her husband’s garden to teach us about the gift of suffering, intertwining it with the analogy of the vine and branches. Pruning hurts, but ideally produces from us a “Thank-you” along with the “Ouch!”  We grow when we hold still for God’s special pruning so we can produce abundantly.

Cheryl’s treatment of the Gift of Letting Go started with a personal disappointment and ended with a comparison between the letting go attitudes of Lot’s wife versus Mary Magdalene.  When tempted to cling to the past, God’s Gift of Letting Go helps us cling to him and look to the future. Teresa recalled how she had to walk away from the secular media to discover God’s grand aspirations for her.

The Gift of Your Sisters in Faith highlighted a lack in my  childhood where I had sisters but not the bonds of sisters in faith when we grew up. As an adult I can relate to many spiritual sisters and recognize that the Holy Spirit makes this sisterhood happen. I know my faith-filled friendships bring richness to my life but Teresa’ statistics show that friendships also can extend my years of life.

The Gift of Setting Priorities involves aligning our will and desires with those of God by eliminating distractions that take our focus away from his priorities for us. The Gift of Being You means taking seriously your God-given talents and your God-given dignity as a woman. Teresa closing encouragement is to share the gift of yourself freely and confidently with the world, wrapped up in the arms of Jesus.

For personal or group study Cheryl and Teresa provide abundant notes and a bibliography, plus a Companion Journal,  Wrapped Up: God’s Ten Gifts for Women is a classic from Servant Books 2012.

Order Wrapped Up: God’s Ten Gifts for Women and support CatholicMom.com with your purchase

Copyright 2013 Nancy H C Ward

St. John Vianney when presenting a homily on temptation once wrote:

It is most unfortunate for ourselves if we do not know that we are tempted in almost all our actions, at one time by pride, by vanity, by the good opinion which we think people should have of us, at another by jealousy, by hatred and by revenge. At other times the Devil comes to us with the foulest and most impure images. You see that even in our prayers he distracts us and turns our minds this way and that. (The Sermons of the Cure of Ars, 90-91)

Screwtape Letters and the Catechism

Having taught High School catechetics for many years one thing that kept coming up in all of my religious education classes was the issue of sin, temptation, and what to do about it. Go figure, a teenager wanting further explanation on sin, the Devil and how to deal with temptation. This led to the idea of utilizing “The Screwtape Letters” a required reading for my religious education courses and adding a twist to their lesson. Knowing my classes keen interest in sin, I decided to construct lesson plans utilizing “The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis and cross-referencing the chapters with the Catechism of the Catholic Church. What I found in this process was a wealth of doctrinal formation that my students instantly gravitated to because they could see the dialogue come alive between Wormwood the understudy and Screwtape the uncle whose instruction dealt with leading souls away from Christ. Using the Catechism gave me the opportunity to introduce the students to the Catechism and what is. Once my students figured out how valuable the Catechism was during this semester course, debunking the methods Screwtape taught Wormwood their secular world view began to change to a Catholic world view.

The success of this process is attributed to sin. Before you start implicating me in inciting heresy, what I mean by this statement is the desire of the human heart to know and understand sin, knowing our concupiscence is something we live with daily. The teenagers I have had the privilege of teaching continually asked me how to avoid sin and seek a closer relationship with Christ. You could see the longing in their eyes for truth that would ease the burden in their souls. With this backdrop, I approached Screwtape Letters as an opportunity to help my students know and understand why Christ came into this world.

Backdrop of a Lesson

Book twelve of C.S. Lewis’ masterpiece reveals Screwtape encouraging wormwood to keep “the young man from experiencing reality” or in other words knowing good and evil. Screwtape tells wormwood;

“he must be made to imagine that all the choices which have effected this change i.e. actions towards God, of course are trivial and revocable. He must not be allowed to suspect that he is now, however slowly, heading right away from the sun on a line which will carry him into the cold and dark of utmost space.”

This poignant piece reflects the desire to keep man from understanding truth, and the love God has for all of his children. In another way, Screwtape is encouraging a relativistic worldview for this young man. Screwtape tells wormwood;

“As long as he retains externally the habits of a Christian life he can still be made to think of himself as one who has adopted a few new friends and amusements but whose spiritual state is much the same as it was six weeks ago.”

Debunking Screwtape

The process to “debunk” Screwtape involved selecting a passage from the book and then carefully finding the counterpoints to Screwtape via the Catechism e.g.

“Sin is an offense against reason, truth, and right conscience; it is a failure of genuine love for God and neighbor caused by a perverse attachment to certain goods. (1849)

The aim of catechesis is to seek what is above, not what is below. (Col 3:1-3) Our human will can only carry us so far by our own merits. We cannot forget who gave us our soul, God, for the sole purpose of directing our very being to Worship Him and receive His love. The moral law is the work of God’s instruction for our lives. It is His fatherly instruction that guides us to take care of our souls. It prescribes for man the ways, rules of conduct that lead to the promised beatitude; it proscribes the ways of evil which turn him away from God and his love. (1950)

Application of the Catechism

The moral law should not be viewed as a spiritual chain around your neck preventing you from experiencing freedom. It is in the moral law where true freedom resonates in every action we commit. If we embrace the moral law, then we embrace Christ who is the end of the law, that everyone who has faith may be justified. (Rom 10:4) One profound reality resulting from this catechetical activity was the realization by my students about the reality of sin. Keep in mind, these students did not become paranoid or scrupulous with respect to every sinful act. They went from a desensitized notion of sin to the reality that sin unfortunately is alive and well. Sin was not viewed as a mistake or error in judgment. If it’s a sin, then it’s a sin.

The outline described above reveals how powerful the Catechism can be when used to our advantage in instructing others in the faith. The story of Screwtape and Wormwood, at first glance intriguing, is unveiled more when paralleled with the Catechism. Why, you see the classic battle line of good versus evil. The purpose of the Crucifixion, to help us see true love and realize this love comes from Christ.

Copyright 2013 Marlon De La Torre

Advice from Marybeth Hicks

To: Marybeth

From: Not Crazy About Carpools

This question might be filed under, “What are these people thinking?” My high school freshman got a ride home from a recent sporting event from a teammate’s parent. The conversation in the car turned to a high school party that took place a couple of weeks ago where teens were widely known to have been drinking and smoking weed. Rather than express any dismay or concern about this, the parent laughed, joked and shared stories of his escapades in high school, and essentially said partying was a fun, normal part of growing up. We can’t avoid sharing rides with this family. How should our son respond if this sort of conversation comes up again?

To: Not Crazy About Idiotic Parents (Because really )

From: Mb

A very wise mother once warned me, “The enemies of your child are the parents of his friends.” At the time I thought, ‘Sheesh, that’s harsh.’ But my fourth child is now a teenager, so I know exactly what that mom meant.

There was a time when parents were generally on the same page. We Baby Boomers could count on the moms and dads of our friends to pretty much echo the values and opinions of our parents, especially when it came to their expectations about appropriate behavior for high schoolers.

But parents have changed. Many want to be perceived as the “cool parents” who are close to their teenagers. They think they’ll achieve this closeness by revealing their past antics as a teen — or worse, by facilitating risky behavior for their children.

Versions of “buddy parents” can range from benignly embarrassing to outright dangerous. We’ve all seen the women who dress like their daughters (though the 50-something version is not a good look), or the dads who pull up to the high school parking lot blasting Journey songs through open windows. These folks are cringe-worthy, to be sure.

The parents we need to watch out for are the ones whose lack of judgment becomes an opportunity for our teenagers to engage in high-risk and illegal behaviors. Astonishingly, despite all the known perils and warnings from school administrators, public safety and law enforcement officers, and parent groups, there are parents who believe it’s safer to provide alcohol for their teenagers as long as they collect everyone’s car keys than it is to pressure kids not to drink, based on the theory, “They’re going to do it anyway.”

In fact, that theory is not true. Parental advice about teen drinking has a significant impact on teens’ decision to abstain during high school, and a 2010 study showed that young adults whose parents had the strictest rules against teen drinking exhibited less binge drinking in college.

To be sure, a parent who tells a car full of teens that partying is a normal and expected part of growing up is not helping your cause. It’s also not universally true. While statistics show a majority of teens will have experimented with alcohol by age 18, at least 30 percent don’t. So it’s “everyone,” but it’s not everyone.

That dad did, however, offer you a teachable moment. Be sure to have a conversation with your son in which you state your feelings — bluntly — about the inappropriate nature of that parent’s comments. I’d say something like, “Being an adult doesn’t necessarily mean having good judgment. I don’t think that a parent should joke about partying as a teenager and I certainly don’t think drinking or smoking pot is an expected part of growing up. I appreciate the shared transportation, but just know that we absolutely don’t share those opinions.”

Of course, thanks to that “buddy parent,” you now know whose house party your son should avoid for the rest of high school.

Have a question about parenting in today’s culture? Email marybeth@marybethhicks.com.

Copyright 2013 Marybeth Hicks

Missio – an App from the Pontifical Mission Societies

From the Catholic geek files news desk comes the exciting update that our Holy Father, Pope Francis, will engage in a historic moment on Friday when he activates a brand new smartphone app called “Missio”. I’ll share the full press release below, but just have to say that this is a fascinating development in the New Evangelization. Having recently had the opportunity to attend and speak at the National Meeting for Pontifical Mission Societies in the United States, I truly feel a part of their “One Family in Mission“. To see them employing the most modern technology available to aid all of us in better understanding and embracing our role as missionaries is a true gift. I’ve already downloaded my Missio App and will be waiting and watching on Friday when Pope Francis “unlocks” it!

My “locked” Missio App is waiting to be unlocked by Pope Francis on Friday!

Pope Francis to ‘Launch’ New Mobile App entitled MISSIO

Missio will feature news, videos, photos, prayer and opportunity for personal reflection

ROME – On the Friday before Pentecost Sunday, Pope Francis is set to “unlock” a new media initiative of the Pontifical Mission Societies in the United States — MISSIO App.

“This App is a way for the Church and our Holy Father to reach the growing number of the world’s people who have access to handheld mobile devices — a way to connect as the one Body of Christ,” said Father Andrew Small, OMI, National Director of the Pontifical Mission Societies.  “We’re delighted our new Holy Father will ‘unlock’ the new App. What a great use of the Keys of St. Peter!” The launch will take place during an audience with the Pope of the National Directors of the Pontifical Mission Societies who are participating in the annual meeting to distribute collected funds.

“Handheld mobile devices and smartphones are increasingly democratizing the information superhighway, and have a capacity to empower the poor in particular,” said Father Andrew.  “In fact, by the end of 2013, there will be more mobile devices on earth than people.  Smartphones worldwide exceed one billion, growing globally by some 40 percent a year, especially in the some of the poorest parts of the world served by the Pontifical Mission Societies, namely in Africa and Asia.”

Over three-quarters of Americans age 43 and under now use a smartphone. Research suggests mobile technology could benefit education in poor countries.

“The response of the Pope’s Twitter account has been phenomenal,” continued Father Andrew.  “Jesus called people to be His followers, and if used properly, the new media allow for a more intimate relationship between peoples and nations, fostering peace and mutual-understanding.”

The App is currently available for download but remains in a “locked” position. During Friday’s event, the Pope will press a button marked “Evangelizantur” which is a Latin phrase meaning, “They have been evangelized.”  Subsequently, a push notification will be sent to all those who have downloaded the App indicating that the Pope has launched the MISSIO App.

“Ever since his election, Pope Francis has reached far beyond the Vatican, touching people’s lives in simple and meaningful ways,” noted Father Andrew.  “His great message of unity and communion will be expressed in this unique event, as he puts the missionary Gospel in the pockets of millions of people, young and old, rich and poor, believer and searcher.”

Supported by Apple and Android devices, the App provides the Pope’s daily homily, and includes news from Rome and around the world.

“With mission stories available in eight languages – English, Spanish, Italian, German, French, Portuguese, Chinese and Arabic – the App fits very well with the Church’s celebration of Pentecost, when the disciples began preaching the Good News in all tongues and dialects,” he added.

Supported by Apple and Android devices, the App provides the Pope’s daily homily, and includes news from Rome and around the world.  Sources are FIDES, the international news agency of the Pontifical Mission Societies, and the Vatican’s own news site, News.va.  There are videos as well, from Catholic News Service and News.va.  MISSIO App includes photographs from various Missions around the world, intended to encourage personal reflection and prayer.  There is also the opportunity for mission support.

To create the MISSIO App, the Pontifical Mission Societies commissioned Little i Apps, LLC, an App development company headed by Catholics committed to making connections, when able, between digital and sacred spaces, contributing in this way to efforts for the new evangelization.

MISSIO is available for free at the iTunes App Store and Google Play.

Read more of our Tech Talk columns.

Copyright 2013 Lisa M. Hendey

Daily Scriptures Reflection

Scripture: Lectionary 300. May 16. Acts 22:30.23:6-11. Psalm 16:1-2.5.7-8.9-10.11.  John 17:20-26:

• Today’s Scriptures
• USCCB Video Reflection
• Saints of the Day

Many of the major themes of the Fourth Gospel (John) are intertwined within the “priestly prayer” of Jesus (chapter 17).  Our specific Gospel reading for today’s liturgy is John 17:20-26.  While reading this and meditating upon it, I discovered the following topics bound up in this part of Jesus’ prayer: prayer—especially the intimate prayer of Jesus to the Father;  faith on the part of the disciples (friends, apostles) in the person of Jesus; unity among those who have trust in Jesus and who love him as Jesus has prayed that they love him and the Father; completion of that unity with joy that has already been mentioned in the last discourse; Jesus as the Apostle par excellence sent from the Father into the world; Jesus as Revealer;  life in the Spirit by sharing in the love of Jesus for the Father and the Father for Jesus; and the glory of God the Father and the Son through their intimate union in the Spirit.

Why so many themes?  Probably for the same reason that Jesus uses the I AM statements while speaking to his friends, the apostles. These  multiple themes and symbols in John point out and witness to the universality of who Jesus is for everyone who believes in him or begins to believe in him.  There are words, symbols, and statements that would attract a variety of listeners.  This is the purpose of the Johannine writings, namely, to lead all peoples to believe in him who is the way, the truth, and the life.

Luke is the theologian and evangelist who emphasizes  the theme of universality in the proclamation of who Jesus is, but we also see that John does this through the multi-faceted and different words that are associated with Jesus in the themes mentioned above.  No one is to be left out from the revelatory and salvific message that the Gospel of John presents to us.  There is a universalism in the great unity amidst diversity of these themes and titles of Jesus (Christology of John).  All are brought together in the great love that is given to the believer in Jesus which John calls “AGAPE.”  The themes and words are effective because they are divinely inspired and come from the mouth of Jesus himself in this Gospel.

Keeping the themes and statements of chapter 17 in our minds and hearts we may wish to choose one or two of them today to see us through the hours of our work, prayer, and relaxation.  Those that attract us and stir our thoughts, feelings, and move us are the ones that are probably the graced prayer for us this day.

We have already seen the value of returning often to the Prologue which has as many themes as the priestly prayer of Jesus.  This overture of themes helps us as we read through the rest of the Gospel of John.  The final chapters of 18-21narrate the Passion, Death, and Resurrection of Jesus. We lived out these mysteries in our liturgy of Holy Week.  Amen.

Copyright 2013 Fr. Bertrand Buby, S.M. 

Summer Activities for You and Your Kids

Some schools are already out for the summer, and for many it is fast approaching! Oftentimes, you see posts like, “100 Great Summer Activities For Kids” or any number of Craft ideas, or things to do for kids. Those are great, but I wanted to compile just one shared list for all of the things you and your kids will enjoy doing together, plus activities just for them, and finally, activities just for you!  I know. Exciting, right?!

Summer Activities for Parents + Children Together

• Fly kites at your local park
• Sign up for a Kiwi Crate and make crafts together
• Instead of eating out, save money and go on a mother-daughter/son date to get Frozen Yogurt
• Go Mini-Golfing
• On a very hot day, catch a matinee
• Take a Weekend Beach vacation
• For Girls: Make a Necklace or Bracelet together
• For Boys: Attend an Air Show or Baseball Game together
• Ride Go-Karts
• Visit a Pet Store
• Go Horseback Riding
• Splurge and go on a Hot Air Balloon Ride
• Eat International Cuisine and expand your horizons
• Go to the Zoo or a local farm
• Make icecream sundaes
• Go camping at your local KOA
• Go on a picnic
• Go hiking
• Bake cookies or any dessert or snack
• Go to the library, and check out something you’ve never thought to check out, like a book on CD
• Visit your local used bookstore
• Take the stroller to a park for a fast-paced walk
• Make home-videos of your kids singing or “performing” something
• Have Family Night- play board games, make popcorn, and watch a family movie together

Summer Activities Just for Kids

• Backyard Water fun~ Kiddie Pools, Waterplay with buckets and sponges, Water balloons, Water guns, playing in the hose/Sprinkler, Slip ‘n Slide
• Avoid the heat on a hot day, and play at the Mall Kids’ Jungle Gym
• Swings- install a swingset or tree swing in your yard
• Play in a Sandbox
• Fun with Play-Doh
• Educational Games~ try some of these!
• Educational Toys~ Try Lakeshore Learning Boxes for little ones, Foam Blocks for all ages, or Pick and Draw for older kids
• Simple Backyard fun~ wheelbarrows, buckets, watering cans, a game of t-ball , tent
• Have a Lemonade Stand
• Find an Icecream Truck
• Have a friend over to play
• Have a At-Home, kid-friendly “field day” – races, games, obstacle course, and of course, popsicles!

Summer Activities for Parents

• Adirondack chairs for catching some rays while you relax
• Gardening
• Scrapbooking
• Water skiing
• Go Swimming at a lake, water hole, river, or at the beach
• Reading- Here’s my To-Read List for this Summer!
• Learn to make a new summer salad, like one of these!
• Make Homemade Icecream and/or Icecream Sandwiches
• Have a Husband and Wife “At Home Date”~ Make a Cheeseplate, or S’mores in a backyard firepit
• Go camping apart from the kiddos
• Kayak, learn how to kayak, or go funyaking
• Install a swingset
• Build your own sandbox
• Go thrift store shopping
• Tackle an organizing project you’ve been putting off- for example, a bookshelf
• Go bike riding
• Start a book club with friends
• Read a book with your spouse
• Write in a new summer journal or create a travelogue of your travels
• Host dinner for you and friends
• Hang out with a good friend- catch up or go for iced coffee
• Cook breakfast in bed for your spouse
• Refurbish old furniture with a new coat of spray paint
• Take a meal to someone in need of it!
• Workout- go running, do a video, go for a walk-jog-run

I hope some of these ideas come in handy for your family as the Summer months are fast approaching!

Copyright 2013 Tacy Beck