On raising children

In raising children remember:  “All men have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”  Romans 3:23.  We are all in need of a Savior.  Therefore, if your children sin, it’s not necessarily because you didn’t train them correctly.

A Reflection on 1 Corinthians 13

LOVE is…
Patient – bears trials, steadfast despite difficulty
Kind – affectionate, loving, sympathetic, friendly, gentle, agreeable, pleasant
Not jealous – envious, malicious, begrudging

LOVE does not…
Boast – put on airs, brag, glorify self

LOVE is not…
Conceited – proud, snobbish, arrogant, overbearing, insolent
Rude – vulgar, forceful, lacking delicacy, uncouth, offensive in manner or action, discourteous
Selfish – thinks of self first, ambitious, disregarding others needs or desires
Easily angered – indignant, rage, wrath, irritable, does not take offense
Resentful – holding grudges, brooding over injuries, malice
Not happy – not contented, not pleased
with evil – offensive behavior, disagreeable behavior, something that brings sorrow, suffering

LOVE…
Rejoices in the truth – takes no pleasure in other peoples sins, does not gossip
Thinks no evil – intends, plans, remembers, expects, imagines

LOVE does not…
Rejoice in – delight in
wrong – mistakes, injustice, sin, immorality

LOVE…
Believes all things – is ready to excuse, looks for the good in others
Trusts – depends on, relies on, has confidence in
Hopes – desires with expectation of fulfillment, expects
Perseveres – endures, never gives up, persists despite opposition or discouragement
Has forbearance – leniency, tolerance, mercy
Never ends – fails, weakens, fades, stops, disappoints, neglects, deserts

Holiness

You can’t strive for holiness.  Holiness is a gift.  You walk with God through prayer, receiving the Sacraments, studying the Bible, belonging to a Christian community and serving others. Holiness is the result.

War and Peace

  I find it difficult to understand the stupidity of people (like President Obama and other progressives) who think you can negotiate with evil. Or that if we reduce our military or our weapons, evil will just give up and go away. It's like "burying your head in the sand."
  Peace comes through strength, not in wishing evil away. There will always be evil people. We will never have peace on this earth. The only peace on earth comes from controlling evil. We will never eliminate it.
  As Bob Dylan wrote in the song "When He Returns", "Wars won't cease and there will be no peace, until He returns."