Faith in Christ

  “If Christ is with us, who is against us. You can fight with confidence where you are sure of victory. With Christ and for Christ victory is certain.” – St. Bernard

Trusting in his Will

“Well, I did the best I could. . . . It’s your church Lord! I’m going to bed. Good night.” – Pope John 23^rd

Bread of LIfe

Something I've been chewing on recently--literally: Jn 6:53-58. Can it get anymore plain and self-explanatory than that?

I, for one, want to live forever.

Belief--It's an ongoing process

I have once again picked up Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger's Book "The Introduction to Christianity." It is a phenomenal read, and after many moons of leaving it half read and using it as a coaster on my nightstand, I now endeavour to read it all. In the first chapter of his book he discusses the truth and peculiarity of Believing. That is, there will always be doubt. However, Ratzinger also points out that believers are not alone in this minefield. No matter how sure an "unbeliever" is on his principals, he will still be visited by the "What if it's true?" question. It is these questions, one coming from someone who is a believer 90% of the time and the other coming from one who is an unbeliever 90% of the time, and the inability to have complete certainty that allow people from the two opposing viewpoints to dialogue.

Even St. Therese the Little Flower had doubts and temptations as she lay waiting for death. Ratzinger quotes her admission: "I am assailed by the worst temptations of atheism." Other great saints have had similar realizations.
Ratzinger concludes:

"In other words, both the believer and the unbeliever share, each in his own way, doubt and belief, if they do not hide from themselves and from the truth of their being. Neither can quite escape either doubt or belief; for the one, faith is present against doubt; for the other, through doubt and in the form of doubt. It is the basic pattern of man's destiny only to be allowed to find the finality of his existence in this unceasing rivalry between doubt and belief, temptation and certainty."
It is nice to know that I am not alone in having my doubts at time. No matter how we might try to suppress them, and how much we know, it is the human condition to doubt. ~Quotes taken from The Introduction to Christianity, by Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger; Chapter 1.

Church and the Bible 1:

Today is the Feast day of St. Patrick, a man credited with converting the entire nation of Ireland. After undergoing many trials and setbacks, he exercised much patience in continuing to educate the pagans. On a day like today, it is difficult not to think of the Good News he shared with the unbelievers. The Good News of the Messiah.

Today I reflect on that same Good News contained in the Bible. Too many, that is all one needs. A doctrine known as sola scriptura--scripture alone. After many years of studying said doctrine, I am still at a loss. It simply doesn't make sense. Please, feel free to educate me, even use "Scripture alone" to do the job. I open my wall to your comments. However, when it comes down to the end one engaged in honest discussion cannot help but admit that if it wasn't for the Church,the Bible would never would have been formed. That is, 73, or 66, books did not drop out of the sky in one complete set. It took a Church to put them together.

Therefore, as the Church goes, so must the Bible. If the Church does not have authority, neither can the Bible it created. Sola Scriptura makes little sense. If the Church does have authority--well, then I think it's time we all attempt to find the Church that existed at that time and join up with it; instead of looking for the next best thing of today. But more on that later.

Your comments/arguments are more than welcome.

Favorite Apostle

With a name like mine how can I not like St. Matthew? He lived such a storied life; a life with which I believe many of us can relate. A tax collector living life like a pagan that turned his life around and became one of the Christ's most devoted followers.

In addition, I am in love with St. John, the Beloved Disciple of Jesus. It was he whom was most precious to our Lord of all His followers. It was John that Christ had a great relationship with and whom trusted the Lord fully; more so, it seems, than any other of His Apostles. If ever I am in need of one's intercession it is St. John I turn to because I know that he will not take an extra second to hurl himself before Christ's thrown and ask for Christ's mercy with the Love like no other.

Therefore, it is both St. Matthew and St. John who are my favorite Apostles.

Finally, whenever I am truly at a cross-roads, facing an "insurmountable" or impossible obstacle, it is St. Jude, the relative of Mary and Jesus, whose assistance that I request. His penchant for interceding when all seems lost is invigorating and miraculous. I encourage all to ask for his prayers in our time of need.

Let us never be afraid to turn to the Apostles, or any of the Saints, and ask for their prayers when we are in need. The Church triumphant is still part of the body of Christ; a resource to be tapped with no equal. They will be our most trusted companion and, like any good friend, pray on our behalf before the throne of the Father. And we know that the only thing better than one person praying in the Lord's name, is two or more people praying in the Lord's name.


Who(m) is your favorite Apostle?

I ask you to take a second out of your day to pray for a special intention of mine that has to deal with a friend. Ask your favorite Apostle to intercede on our behalf. I am turning to the three above. In return, if you take a second to add your own prayer to your intercession on behalf of my special intention, I will remember it in my own prayer and present it before our Lord as well.

Our Peace of Mind Must Not Depend Upon Men

An important concept that I know firsthand how hard it is to implement into one's daily life. If we want peace, if we want happiness, if we want to feel complete, we must look to the one above for all things. For only He can fulfill our most inner longings. If we place our happiness in a relationship with another, we cannot help but be disappointed.

If you let your peace of mind depend on any particular person, my son, because you enjoy his affection and companionship, you will live an unsettled life and get entangled in your own feelings; but if you have recourse to the Truth that lives and remains forever, your friend will not make you sad even though he leaves you or dies. The love you have for your friend ought to rest on me; it is for my sake that they must be loved, those whose goodness appeals to you, those most dear to you in this life. Without me, no friendship will hold fast or endure; in every genuine and sincere love I am the connecting link. You ought to be so mortified in the affection you have for those you love that, as far as you are concerned, you could wish to do without human companionship altogether. The further a man goes from any comfort upon earth, the nearer he draws to God; the deeper he goes down within himself, the lower he sinks in his own estimation, so much the higher does he climb in his ascent towards God.

A man who attributes any goodness to himself puts up a barrier against the coming of God's grace, because it is always a humble heart that the grace of the Holy Ghost looks for. If only you would reduce your self-seeking to nothing, and empty your heart of love for anything created, my grace would be bound to flood your heart in fathomless streams. So long as you gaze at things created, you lose sight of him who created them. It is for the sake of that Creator that you must learn to overcome yourself in everything; you will then be enabled to come to the knowledge of God. If the love and interest you have for anything, no matter how trivial, is lacking in restraint, it is holding you back from attaining you highest goal, and doing you harm.

~Thomas a Kempis, The Imitation of Christ, p. 176-77.

ON Despising this world's Honours

We too often become caught up in seeking praise and glory in this world. I must remind myself that I am not seeking the honours of this world, nor the acceptance of a multitude of friends, but it is the world to come which I have my eyes set

The Beloved: Don't take it to heart, son, if you see others winning honours and promotion, and yourself being looked down upon and treated like dirt. Lift up your hear to heaven, to me, and being slighted by men on earth won't make you sad any more.

The Learner: Lord, we live in a world of blindness and are easily led away by foolish notions. Passing my life in frank review, I see that no creature has ever done me harm, so that I have no right to have any grievance against you; but seeing how often and how grievously I have sinned against you, it is but right that every creature should be up in arms against me. All I deserve, then, and rightly so, is shame and scorn, but you, praise, honour and glory. Unless I make myself ready and willing to be slighted and left to myself by every creature, to be regarded as a complete nonentity, I cannot win inward peace and stability, cannot be enlightened in spirit and fully united to you.

~Thomas a Kempis, The Imitation of Christ, p. 175-76

Friends and posting

I've heard from several of you that read my blog. Please feel free to post comments, thoughts, or other spiritual readings to the blog. In the alternative, you can email them to me. I enjoy reading your thoughts and I enjoy reading the writings of spiritual authors other than the ones I post. The concept of truth gives us much to learn in our seeking.


And Merry Christmas to all, old friends and new, during this Season.

All I need in life

I stole this one from my friend, Julie. A simple prayer that should always be on my heart.

Grant me, O Lord my God, a mind to know you, a heart to seek you, wisdom to find you, conduct pleasing to you, faithful perseverance in waiting for you and a hope of finally embracing you.

~ St. Thomas Aquinas.