Thankfulness

 Present your needs to God in every form of prayer and in petitions full of gratitude. Then God’s own peace, which is beyond all understanding, will stand guard over your hearts and minds, in Christ Jesus.  Philippians 4:6b-7

 

  I believe thankfulness to God is the key to happiness and contentment in this life. I have always been a “glass half empty” type of person. Many years ago I had a serious problem with ongoing depression from which I was healed through the grace of God. But I still find that I have to guard against a spirit of melancholy and sadness; of looking at the dark side rather than the bright side of life.

  Many years ago, my spiritual director suggested that I keep a Thanksgiving journal; writing down something each day that I am thankful for. It has since evolved into a journal where I record not only the things I am thankful for in my life, but the many blessings, healings and miracles that have occurred in the lives of my family. When bad things happen (as they do to all of us), I go back and read about all the good things God has done in and for me and my family. It lifts my spirit and helps me keep the present trial in perspective.

  I would like to suggest that you consider starting a Thanksgiving journal for yourself. Another suggestion is to include prayers of thanksgiving in either your morning or evening prayers. In my evening prayers, I try to think of three things about that day that I am thankful for. I also set aside one day a week as a “Thanksgiving” day where I thank God for those intentions or people that I pray for on the other days.

  The Psalms in Scripture are also a good way to focus on thanking God. The following are some I use that you can copy and use as a bookmark in your Bible.

 

Thanksgiving Psalms

 16 – for blessings

 18:1-7 – for strength

 30 – for healing from serious illness

 40 – Gratitude & prayer for help

 41 – after sickness

 65 – for abundant blessings

100 - Thanksgiving

103 – Praise of Divine Goodness

112 – for blessings

116 – for help in time of great need

118 – Hymn of Thanksgiving

138 – Hymn of a Grateful Heart

The Truth about Homosexuality

 

To have a sexual attraction to a member of the same sex is not a sin in itself—it is the effect of demonic influences, with passed down through a person’s ancestors or acquired sometime during a person’s lifetime.

  A person is not BORN homosexual. Science has not found a homosexual gene, although there has been much effort to try to find one. People are either male or female according to their DNA. This is true from the time of conception and never changes throughout a person’s life.

  Because many people, scientists and psychologists don’t believe in demons, their only way of explaining homosexual tendencies is through scientific means. Until very recently, the scientific community agreed that homosexuality was abnormal. Then the political powers that seek to push their agenda managed to exert enough influence on part of the scientific community to say that homosexuality was normal. There are still many in the scientific community who do not agree with that, but their voices are drowned out by those who control many aspects of society.

  Among those who profess a belief in God and God’s Word in the Bible, opinions are changing. They agree that although a sexual relationship between members of the same sex is forbidden by God, the feeling of sexual attraction to a member of the same sex is not a sin, but a disorder. It’s a disorder that in many cases can be healed. But, just as with many other psychological disorders, such as depression, schizophrenia, or anxiety, healing is often difficult and complicated and the aim is to at least control negative behavior.

  For those religious denominations that have deliverance ministries, the success rate is higher, but it is still a long process because the demonic influence infiltrates so many aspects of a person’s life.

Spiritual Works of Mercy - Bear Wrongs Patiently

 Oh—this is a tough one. None of us likes to be mistreated or misunderstood. It’s difficult for all of us when people treat us unjustly; or lie or mislead others as to our character or what we have done or not done. How painful when people shun or reject us.

  When this happens to us (and it happens to all of us one time or another) it helps to remember that Jesus, who was perfectly holy, also had to endure unjust treatment by others. Although he only did good to others he was subjected to hatred, jealously, false witnesses, slander, rejection and was eventually crucified.

  God says we are to forgive others when they offend us. 

"'Vengeance is mine, I will repay,' says the Lord” (Rom 12:19). 

 If there is any justice that needs to be done, in this life or the next, the only One qualified to do it is the Lord, for He alone knows the secrets of all hearts. Therefore, we must never try to get back at, or punish anyone who has wronged us. That means "petty vengeance" as well, which includes the use of slander or gossip to get back at people for the evil they may have done to us.

  Instead, Jesus commands us to pray for our enemies. 

My command to you is: love your enemies, pray for those who persecute you.  Matthew 6:44 

St. Paul says: But “if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; by doing this you will heap burning coals upon his head.” Do not be conquered by evil but conquer evil with good.  Romans 12:20-21 

  However, forgiveness is probably the most misunderstood of all the works of mercy. It does NOT mean blindly letting oneself be victimized. You have a duty to protect yourself and your loved ones from harm. Forgiving our enemies does not mean passively subjecting ourselves to abuse or not defending ourselves. The duty to forgive our enemies is compatible with protecting ourselves from harm and demanding fair treatment from others, especially close family members. When people have harmed or offended us, we have a duty to let them know their behavior is offensive. This is also a work of mercy since a person should be made aware of the harm they are doing. Even if it doesn’t result in a change in their behavior, you will at least have made them aware of it. To “bear wrongs patiently” does not mean to let someone walk all over you.

  So—What do you do if someone continues their negative behavior. If possible, you can separate yourself from them. I don’t mean to shun them; just to avoid contact with them when possible. If it’s an extended family member that you have to socialize with from time to time, then avoid getting into conversations with them that might give them the opportunity to criticize you. One woman I know had to avoid almost all contact with her father because whenever they were together he would bring up the wrong things she did in the past that she had repented of.

  If it’s someone you live with, then it becomes even more difficult. You have to avoid getting into discussions or arguments that might give them the opportunity to abuse you. Pray for them and pray for the guidance of the Holy Spirit as to how to live with them as peacefully as possible. Forgive, forgive, forgive. Jesus said we have to forgive “seventy times seven times” (Matthew 18:22) Remember the guidelines for love in 1 Corinthians 13—be patient and kind; don’t take offense; don’t harbor grudges or brood over injuries.

  To bear wrongs patiently is one of the most difficult things to do. So we must forgive ourselves when we fail, repent and ask Jesus for the same grace that enabled Him to bear the wrongs done to Him.

On Separated or Divorced Couples

When dealing with your divorced and separated friends and relatives, remember that although it takes two to make a marriage, it only takes one to break a marriage.  Don’t take sides.  Your don’t really know who’s at fault. Even in cases of infidelity, you don't know whether the behavior of the other spouse may have contributed to or even caused the infidelity.

Jesus said: If you want to avoid judgment, stop passing judgment. Your verdict on others will be the verdict passed on you. Matthew 7:1-2

Stop judging by appearances... John 7:24

The Epistle of James says: There is but one Lawgiver and Judge, one who can save and destroy. Who then are you to judge your neighbor?  James 4:12

Couples who are separated or divorced need the advice of wise counsel, prayers and friendship. Although separation and divorce affect family relationships and friendships, this should never result in shunning or never speaking to a person again. Listen to the affected party, but don't agree with them or add fuel to their fire. Advice should only be given by a trained counselor or an older person who is spiritually mature.

The World Wants You Back

The world (the devil) wants you back.

It has been my experience that if you are a lukewarm Christian, or no Christian at all, the devil leaves you alone. But if you start coming closer to Christ, watch out! He will work overtime to get you back.

  But once you have become a committed Christian, the devil works more subtley and slowly, hoping to catch you off guard. Also, the temptations or distractions will not necessarily be the ones he used against you previously.

  St. Catherine of Sienna wrote what she said Jesus taught her about temptation:

The devil will take advantage of your blindness and put before you a banquet of his delights, colored to look like something that is good for you.

For each person he chooses what is most appealing to their principal weakness, and to each according to their station in life.

The devil will issue you an invitation to death disguised as life.

But "Greater is He who is in you, than He who is in the world." 1 John 4:4b

Note: For further insight on this subject, I recommend The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis

On Doing Good (when no one is watching)

We all know that if we do something wrong, even if no one sees us, God sees us.  But it is also true that if we do something good and no one sees us, or if we do something for another and they do not appreciate it, God sees us and rewards us in His own way.

  This thought has helped me many times when I felt unappreciated or when a sacrifice I made for someone else went unnoticed. Or when doing mundane tasks like cleaning the toilet or cleaning up after others (when there would be nothing to clean up if the others hadn't messed it!)

  Jesus said: Whenever you pray, go to your room, close your door, and pray to your Father in private. Then your Father, who sees what no man sees, will repay you.  Matthew 6:6

  St. Paul said: Whatever you do, work at it with your whole being. Do it for the Lord rather than for men, since you know full well you will receive an inheritance from Him as your reward.  Colossians 3:23-24

On the Raising of the Dead

"All of us have eyes with which we can see the dead rise in the way the son of the widow rose. Not all, however, have the wherewithal to see those who are dead in the heart rise again.  To see that, you need to have already risen in the heart yourself. There is more to raising up someone to live forever than to raising up someone who will only die again."  St. Augustine, Sermon 98,1.

  Over the years, this, most of all, has caused my faith to grow and solidify. My own healing from smoking and subsequent transformation, all those whose witnesses and testimonies I have heard personally, and all those I have read about or seen on videos have convinced me of the reality of the Risen Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit.
  Yes, we need the gift of faith to believe. And God wants us to use reason and logic as well. It's not enough to just have blind faith; we need to be able to explain why what we believe is the truth. But when Jesus lived on earth physically, He didn't just teach and preach the Gospel. He performed miraculous deeds to prove the validity of His words. His own resurrection from the dead only three days after having suffered such a horrible death was the ultimate proof.
  It was the changed lives of the Apostles and early disciples and the signs and wonders that were done through the power of the Holy Spirit within them that caused so many to come to faith in Jesus Christ (see the "Acts of the Apostles" in the Bible).
  And so it is today, in our time. It's the changed lives of those who have faith in Jesus and are filled with the Holy Spirit; the present day miracles; the Saints, that bring people to faith in Jesus Christ or strengthen the faith of those who already believe.

An Easter Mini-Miracle

During the Corona virus epidemic, I was sheltering at home. I prepared to watch the Facebook live presentation of Easter Sunday Mass on my computer, which I found a poor substitute for the real thing. I tried to make it more realistic by putting out a small glass of wine and some unleavened bread, and lighting a small tea light candle.

  As I sat down at my computer I noticed that the light on the candle I had lit was very tiny, almost ready to go out. I looked at the time and saw Mass was just about to begin; I wouldn’t have time to get another candle. About halfway through Mass I happened to glance at the candle, only to see it was burning normally. It continued to burn throughout Mass and went out by itself, just as the Mass ended.

  It was a message from God that even though the churches were closed, God’s power is not bound by our circumstances.

On the Priest Sex Scandal in the Catholic Church

Much has been written of late about the priest sex scandal in the Catholic Church. There is no need for me to try to explain why this happened. Anyone who is interested can access the many videos on YouTube. I would recommend beginning with Bishop Robert Barron. I would just like to make a few brief comments about what I have learned.
  The first is that it has been determined that this was not due to the vow of celibacy taken by priests when they are ordained. It also was not mainly a problem of pedophilia, although there were cases of sexual abuse of minors. The majority of the cases were due to homosexuality and older men preying on younger men.
  One fact that is proving that it was not a problem of celibacy is the large numbers of sexual abuse cases that are being reported in other denominations as well as in many secular organizations. In most of these cases the predator was married.
  Another contributing factor is our highly sexualized culture - the exploding pornography industry; the easy access for anyone to online pornography; graphic sexual material, both hetero and homosexual; the exposure to sexual information of children at very young ages before they are mature enough to process the information, or even determine whether it's true or not. All these things give people a distorted image of sexuality which results in distorted practices.
  One last thing I would like to mention is the absence of fathers in the lives of many children either through divorce, single motherhood or neglect. This affects the sexual development of both males and females. God knew what He was doing when He fashioned procreation to include both a male and a female. In order to grow and develop into healthy, well-adjusted adults a child needs both a mother and a father.

On Suffering

Because God brings good out of suffering does not mean that suffering is good. God does not cause suffering; it's part of our fallen world. The problem of suffering has plagued men since they learned that God was all-loving. God often protects His people from suffering or heals those who are sick or disabled. We know that is true because of God's revelation to us in the New Testament of the Bible. The apostles and disciples were often miraculously protected from harm or death until the appointed time for them to pass on. Jesus himself was protected from harm or death until the appointed time for His crucifixion and death. There is no passage in the New Testament where someone came in faith asking to be healed and Jesus said, "No; go home and carry your cross."  He healed all who asked and even raised the dead.
  My particular prayer for myself and my loved ones is that God will protect us from all suffering except that which is necessary to accomplish His Will in ourselves or others. We must always pray that God will protect us from unnecessary suffering and then trust that God will protect us or bring good out of any suffering we are called to endure. (Romans 8:28)

On Psychics vs. God's Word

Today I passed the office of one of the local psychics.  The sign outside said “Readings, half price”.

  Reading God’s Word in the Bible is free and most of all shows the way to eternal life. Sounds like a much better deal to me.

  Psychics are either fakes or controlled by a demon. If they are fakes, it is truly a waste of money. If they are real, then you are listening to a demon who has your eternal damnation as a goal. Even if you visit a psychic for "fun", you are opening yourself to the evil one; and no good ever comes from that.

True Christianity

Judge Christianity not by the words or actions of those who have lived it poorly, but by the Words of the New Testament of the Bible. That is the true Christianity. As Mahatma Gandhi said: "If Christians lived according to the teachings of Christ, as found in the Bible, all of India would be Christian."

  All people are flawed; all of us sin. We all fail in some areas and need God's forgiveness and grace to be better Christians. All of us rationalize and compromise to a certain degree. We sometimes take the words of the Bible and interpret them to mean what we think they mean; or what we would like them to mean.

  Jesus said: Be on your guard against false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing but underneath are wolves on the prowl. You will know them by their deeds."  Matthew 7:15-16

  The Epistle of John says: Anyone who is so 'progressive' that he does not remain rooted in the teaching of Christ does not possess God. 2 John 9

  St. Paul, in his letter to Timothy says: For the time will come when people will not tolerate sound doctrine, but, following their own desires, will surround themselves with teachers who tickle their ears. They will stop listening to the truth and will wander off into fables. 2 Timothy 4:3-4

  And also: Whoever teaches in any other way, not holding to the sound doctrines of our Lord Jesus Christ and the teaching proper to true religion, should be recognized as both conceited and ignorant, a sick man in his passion for polemics and controversy.

1 Timothy 6:3-5

  So we see that even from the very beginnings of Christianity we have been told that everyone who professes to be a Christian will not necessarily act like one.

  The lesson is: Don't judge Christianity solely by the actions of those who profess faith in Jesus Christ. Look rather to the source of that faith. 

True Happiness

True happiness only comes from living the way God wants us to live, that is, according to His Word revealed to men in the Bible.  Many people look for a religion or faith that fits in with how they want to live rather than how God wants them to live. They ignore passages in the Bible that don't fit in with what they think is right or wrong, good or bad. Or they rationalize and say that that particular part is outdated; that we have come to a clearer understanding of what God really meant.

  At the end of the Book of Revelation St. John wrote: I myself give witness to all who hear the prophetic words of this book. If anyone adds to these words, God will visit him with all the plagues described herein! If anyone takes from the words of this prophetic book, God will take away his share in the tree of life and the holy city described here!  Revelation 22:18-19

  Of course, St. John is writing here specifically about the Book of Revelation. But theologians believe that word applies to all the books of the Bible that are in the approved Canon.

  Be very suspicious then of private interpretation of God's Word, yours or someone else's. That is mainly what has caused the many, many different denominations in Christianity.

What Does It Mean to Be Charismatic

In the spiritual life, to be "charismatic" means to be filled with the fullness of the Holy Spirit. All baptized Christians receive the Holy Spirit when they are baptized. They also receive the ordinary gifts of the Holy Spirit to the degree to which they are capable of accepting them at that time--wisdom, understanding, counsel, strength, knowledge, piety, fear of the Lord. A Christian continues to grow in these gifts throughout his or her life.
  When a person is mature enough to understand, he or she can be instructed about the "extraordinary" gifts of the Spirit--wisdom, knowledge, faith, healing, miracles, prophecy, discernment of spirits, praying and speaking in tongues, and interpretation of tongues. Then he or she can pray for or be prayed with to receive one or more of the extraordinary gifts that God wishes them to have. This is sometimes called (but not always) the "Baptism in the Holy Spirit".
  The extraordinary gifts are only called "extraordinary" because unlike the ordinary gifts of the Spirit, each person does not receive every extraordinary gift.
  St. Paul says in 1 Corinthians 12:7-11:

 To each person the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. To one the Spirit gives wisdom in discourse, to another the power to express knowledge. Through the Spirit one receives faith; by the same spirit another is given the gift of healing, and still another miraculous powers. Prophecy is given to one; to another power to distinguish one spirit from another. One receives the gift of tongues, another that of interpretation of tongues. But it is one and the same Spirit who produces all these gifts, distributing them to each as He wills.

  With the Baptism in the Spirit a person also experiences Jesus personally and "hears" the Holy Spirit guiding and directing them each day. A person can have a personal relationship with Jesus and hear the Holy Spirit and not be charismatic. But this is not because they are unable to be but because they have not been taught that the Holy Spirit has an extraordinary gift or gifts that He wants them to have.
  To be "filled with the Holy Spirit" does not mean a person has all the power of the Holy Spirit God has to give. On the contrary, our growth in the power of the Holy Spirit is ongoing until we pass on to eternal life. If you have been given the Holy Spirit through Baptism and then been Baptized in the Holy Spirit, there is always more!
  To conclude--a person is charismatic if he or she has been Baptized, has received the Baptism in the Holy Spirit and an extraordinary gift or gifts. All the Apostles and early disciples were charismatic. It's what happened to the Apostles, the disciples and the Blessed Mother on Pentecost. To be charismatic is not a movement or just for certain people. It is ordinary Christianity! It's what God intends for every Christian to be.

  

Turning Away From God

I recently read a quote on falling away from God:  "When the idea and significance of God slip from the mind, and no one bothers about His judgments or Providence, there ensues perhaps at first a sense of release and independence; but there follow ... danger [and destruction]."  Martin D'Arcy
  It reminded me both of people I have know who have fallen away from God and the many witnesses I have read and heard of those who have been led astray. The experiences of these people confirm the words of Mr. D'Arcy.
  God's Word in Scripture also speaks of the dangers of falling away from God:
  For the time will come when people will not tolerate sound doctrine, but, following their own desires, will surround themselves with teachers who tickle their ears. They will stop listening to the truth and will wander off to fables. 2 Timothy 4:3-4
  Take care, my brothers, lest any of you have an evil and unfaithful spirit and fall away from the living God....we ought to be fearful of disobeying lest any one of you be judged to have lost his chance of entering (Heaven).  Hebrews 3:12, 4:1b
  For when men have once been enlightened and have tasted the heavenly gift and become sharers in the Holy Spirit, when they have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, and then have fallen away, it is impossible to make them repent again, since they are crucifying the Son of God for themselves and holding Him up to contempt.
Hebrews 6:4-6
  These are just a few of the many Scriptures, in both the Old and New Testaments, that warn of the consequences of falling away from God. So let's do everything we can to stay on the right path on our earthly journey and pray to the Holy Spirit to warn us if we begin to go astray.

On Prayer

We pray, not because we are good; not because we are holy; but because we need God’s grace to help us to be good; we need God’s grace to make us holy.