Author: Catherine Loh, Diocese of Palm Beach Director of Marriage, Family Life, Faith Formation, and Youth Ministry
We have finally made the journey through Lent, through the Passion, and now we can celebrate Christ’s Resurrection! Happy Easter! We are an Easter people!
However, let us remember, without that 40-day journey toward the Passion and the actual Passion itself, we cannot get to the Resurrection. Without Christ’s suffering, death, and resurrection, we have no hope for restoration as God’s sons and daughters, co-heirs to Christ’s Kingdom. Perhaps we should take some time to look back and contemplate our Lenten journey.
First, let’s consider where we were when it all started. Were we blissfully journeying through life? Or did we notice some clouds on the horizon? Or were we already immersed in a period of struggling and suffering, a “Dark Night of the Soul” as described by St. John of the Cross? Did we have a plan for Lent? Perhaps we desired to grow in holiness and to grow closer to the Lord. Perhaps we wanted to overcome a bad habit or develop a new virtue. The good news is that we did not have to make the journey or achieve our goal all on our own. Jesus issued an invitation to each one of us to journey with him, to accompany him towards the Resurrection.
Just like the blind man in the Gospel of Luke 18:35-39, Jesus asked us, “What do you want me to do for you?” In one biblical translation, the blind man responded that he wanted to recover his sight. “Recover” is an interesting word. It means to regain or return to a normal state. That means the blind man was not always blind. Somehow, he had lost his sight, but now he placed his hope in the Lord Jesus to recover his vision.
How did you respond when Jesus asked you what you wanted? What did you hope to recover? Had you lost something you once possessed or enjoyed or maybe even took for granted? Had you somehow lost your vision? Had it become cloudy? What obstacles did you encounter?
Like the blind man, did you tell Jesus what you hoped to recover? How did Jesus respond to you? Did he immediately grant your request? Or did he come alongside you on the road to that recovery? Did you allow him to accompany you toward the Resurrection?
Maybe you are still waiting or even struggling to recover what was lost. The Resurrection is not a destination but a promise. We are all on that journey toward our own resurrection. Allow the Lord to remain with you on your journey and keep heading in the right direction. Avoid turning back and giving up what has been or is still in the process of being recovered. Stand firm in the promise that “with God all things are possible” (Matthew 19:26). Let us not lose hope. We are an Easter people whose hope rests in the Lord (cf. Psalm 71:5). Behold, with the Lord, all things are new.
Here’s what Scripture has to say:
Luke 18:41 – …Jesus asked him “What do you want me to do for you?”
Matthew 19:26 – But Jesus looked at them and said, “With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”
Do you know who made you? God made you! Why did God make you? He made you because He loves you! This is the reality that many of us learned when we were young. We pass it on to our children because it is how we form our faith. As we learn more about God, our faith grows, and we find security in God’s love. God’s love never changes, it is always present. Knowing God’s love is the basis for our faith and securing this love in our soul takes care and practice. To know and receive God’s love, our hearts must be open. We spend our lives discovering God’s love, and we should delight in it often. Morning, noon, and night are the perfect times to turn our thoughts to God. They are perfect times to delight in His love and give praise and thanksgiving.
God made you because He loves you. God, who is love, is a communion of three Divine Persons. These three Persons are united in an inner life of love. God the Father is the giver, He gives the gift of self. The Son is the Receiver, who receives the Father’s gift of self and gives back His own gift of self to the Father. “They are distinct from one another in their relations of origin: ‘It is the Father who generates, the Son who is begotten, and the Holy Spirit who proceeds.’ The divine Unity is Triune.” (CCC 254) There is so much love between all three persons, they are one single Being. This inner life of love is eternal and never broken. The love of the Trinity is fruitful and life-giving. We can access this love through prayer.
This new year is the perfect time to return to the prayers we learned in our childhood. Remember that we are to pray the “Sign of the Cross” with humility and reverence. Our outward prayers are a witness to others. Our prayers are not just words we have been saying for years. Our behaviors as adults are shaped by the experiences of our childhood. Can you remember a time when someone taught you about Jesus or taught you to pray? Does that childlike curiosity still inspire you to love the Lord? When you enter a Catholic Church or pass by a Tabernacle, do you remember to show reverence for the presence of Jesus? Find ways to honor your creator. Find ways to love the one who first loved. “We love because he first loved us.” (1 John 4:19)
Love wants to be with the beloved.
Here’s what the Scriptures have to say:
1 John 4:8 – God is Love
Psalm 139:14 – I praise you, so wonderfully you made me; wonderful are your works!
Jeremiah 33:2-3 – Thus says the Lord who made the earth and gave it form and firmness, whose name is Lord: Call to me, and I will answer you; I will tell to you things great beyond reach of your knowledge.
Hebrews 4:16 – So, let us confidently approach the throne of grace to receive mercy and to find grace for timely help.
Author: Beth Zanotelli, Family Life Coordinator for the Diocese of Palm Beach
Do you want your children to have a good life? Do you want your kids to be successful and flourish in the world? Not many parents would answer “no” to those questions. There are also not many parents who wake up in the morning and say, “I would like to be a lousy parent today.” Most parents want the best for their children, and many work tirelessly to create a life that is better than the life they had growing up. Or maybe they try to repaint the fairytale life that they knew. What a joy and honor it is to raise children. Of course, it comes with great sacrifice and constant care, but raising children is truly a gift!
The most important question we should be asking is, “How can I help my child live a holy life and get to heaven?” We are called to baptize our children as part of our Catholic faith. During a baptism, when the priest or deacon is about to pour the water, parents, Godparents, and all present are reminded, “Make it your constant care to bring your child up in the practice of the faith.” This responsibility comes from the understanding of who is the “ultimate owner of the child.” Psalm 139:13 says, “You formed my inmost being; You knit me in my mother’s womb.” God is the original parent and “owner” of our children, while mothers and fathers are the biological “foster parents” who have received the child on loan from God. One of the parents’ most important duties is to teach their children about the genuine love of God. Much of this is taught by loving encounters and experiences within the family. Parents also must teach their children to pray. Prayer must begin at birth and continue throughout life. Faith needs to be a constant for the baptized, and prayer sustains faith.
How do we teach our children well? How can we do a better job of bringing them up in the faith? One way is to live the Liturgical Calendar. Teach your children about Advent, Christmas, Lent, and Easter, but go even deeper and look at each day as a journey in faith. Who is the Saint of the Day? Find a way to celebrate at least one Saint each month (three or four would be better). It’s not that difficult, in February there is already a day for St. Valentine, and in March, St. Patrick. You could learn about the Patron Saint of your Parish and celebrate by making a recipe from the country they are from. Choose a patron saint for your family and celebrate along with the patron saint of each child. Do you celebrate the anniversary of their baptism? Why not, it is when they became Children of God. When you start teaching your child colors look at what color vestments the priest is wearing at Mass. He will wear green in Ordinary Time, what are the other colors he wears? (HINT: purple, white, red)
Our faith is best taught through lived experience. Another way to teach the faith and about the life of Jesus is to pray the Rosary as a family. October is the month of Our Lady of the Rosary, how many ways could you count the 10 Hail Mary’s in a decade of the Rosary? You could count on beads, stickers, jellybeans, pompoms, cupcakes, and the list goes on.
As we each try to live the Liturgical Calendar, look for groups that meet to pray and play. Catholic Tots, Religious Education activities, and Catholic Scouting groups like American Heritage Girls, Little Flowers, Blue Knights, and Trail Life are great groups. Connect with other families to share ideas and build community. Like-minded people will help you grow your faith and teach your children well.
Here’s what the scriptures have to say:
Proverbs 22:6 – Train a [child] in the way he should go; even when he is old, he will not swerve from it.
Deuteronomy 6: 5-9 – You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and with all your strength. Take to heart these words which I enjoin on you today. Drill them into your children. Speak of them at home and abroad, whether you are busy or at rest.
Psalm 139:13-14 – You formed my inmost being; you knit me in my mother’s womb. I praise you, so wonderfully you made me; wonderful are your works!
John 3:5 – Jesus answered, “Amen, amen, I say to you, no one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and Spirit.
Author: Beth Zanotelli, Family Life Coordinator for the Diocese of Palm Beach
There are several times during the Holy Mass when Christ offers us His peace. At the beginning, right after the Sign of the Cross, the priest has the option to say: “Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ” and we respond, “And with your Spirit.” After the ‘Our Father’, again the celebrant responds with a message of ‘peace’ when he says, “Deliver us, Lord, from every evil, graciously grant peace in our days, in your mercy, free us from sin and save us from all distress, as we await the blessed hope and the coming of our Savior, Jesus Christ.” The most obvious exchange is when we offer each other a Sign of Peace. The words from the priest celebrant again stress the importance of peace. Here he shares the words of Jesus when he says, “Peace, I leave you, my peace I give you, look not on our sins, but on the faith of your Church, and graciously grant her peace and unity in accordance with your will.” After this, we are invited to share a gesture of peace. This gesture is the same peace we just received from Jesus!
Like each part of the Holy Mass, the Sign of Peace has biblical roots. In Matthew 5:23-24 we are reminded, “If you bring your gift to the altar, and there recall that your brother has anything against you, leave your gift there at the altar, go first and be reconciled with your brother and then come and offer your gift.” Offering peace is not just a state of mind, it is an action. Like forgiveness, peace begins with a person. If we are to receive Jesus in the Eucharist, and if we desire to share in His holiness, we must have the courage to clean up the mistakes and misunderstandings we have created in our lives. In the letter to the Hebrews, we are cautioned to persevere and not be weak. Chapter 12:10-12 is a great reminder, that if we want to be holy, if we desire true peace, we must be disciplined. “They disciplined us for a short time as seemed right to them, but He does so for our benefit, in order that we may share His holiness. At the time, all discipline seems a cause not for joy but for pain, yet later it brings the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who are trained by it.” We all desire the peaceful fruit of holiness, we all desire peace.
There are many ways to achieve peace. Life is filled with balancing, juggling, and avoiding. We try to balance holiness and the world. We juggle planning as we look forward, learning from our past, while we live in the present moment. We continuously try to avoid those things that rob us of our peace. To live in the present moment means we will have to stop rushing around, we need to find time to rest and reset. To live a life of holiness means we need to first, trust in God’s Mercy, then, learn to forgive one another, and most importantly forgive ourselves. Finally, to achieve peace, you must be an active participant. In our families we must share our thoughts and feelings, we must forgive one another, we must be patient with one another, and we must find mutual respect. In the hectic noisiness of each day, we need to find our Sabbath moments. We won’t be able to receive the graces of God’s peace if our lives are too busy. We need to find moments to be thankful and offer a prayer. Jesus wants to help us build peace -in our hearts – in our relationships – and in our families!
In preparation for Christmas, remember what we prepare for – the coming of the Prince of Peace! In Philippians 4:4-7 we are instructed, “Rejoice in the Lord always. I shall say it again rejoice! Your kindness should be known to all. The Lord is near. Have no anxiety at all, but in everything by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, make your requests known to God. Then the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.”
Here’s what the Scriptures have to say:
Luke 2:13-14 –And suddenly there was a multitude of the heavenly host with the angel, praising God and saying: “Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”
Hebrews 12:10-12 – They disciplined us for a short time as seemed right to them, but he does so for our benefit, in order that we may share this holiness. At the time, all discipline seems a cause not for joy but for pain, yet later it brings the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who are trained by it. So, strengthen your drooping hands and your weak knees. Make straight paths for your feet, that what is lame may not be dislocated but healed.
Hebrews 12: 14-15 – Strive for peace with everyone, and for that holiness without which no one will see the Lord. See to it that no one be deprived of the grace of God, that no bitter root spring up and cause trouble
Proverbs 12:20 – Deceit is in the hands of those who plot evil, but those who counsel peace have joy.
Matthew 5:23-24 – If you bring your gift to the altar, and there recall that your brother has anything against you, leave your gift there at the altar, go first and be reconciled with your brother, and then come to offer your gift.
Philippians 4:4-7 – Rejoice in the Lord always. I shall say it again rejoice! Your kindness should be known to all. The Lord is near. Have no anxiety at all, but in everything by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, make your requests known to God. Then the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.”
By Beth Zanotelli, Family Life Coordinator for the Diocese of Palm Beach
Tables have been significant throughout history. While it is an inanimate object, think of all the things that happen at a table – Meals, deals, games, crafting! The table can be a place for prayer, writing, creating, examination, surgery, cooking, decision-making, puzzling, reading, and the list continues. A table can serve to bring people together as a place for reconciliation. It has great power and potential. A table is a place where things happen!
Did you know that the word “table” is found over 136 times in the Bible? Do you know the meaning of the Table? It is a symbol of a variety of things, such as hospitality, fellowship, and abundance. In the Bible, it is where Jesus and his disciples ate the Last Supper. It is also significant in the Bible because it is where we learn God’s plan for salvation. In the Book of Exodus, there is a description of how to make a table or an altar. The Israelites were commanded to set this table for their God every day. (see Exodus 25:23-30) They did this to show reverence and honor Him.
This same table was also a place where they would gather to share their blessings, as we do today. There is even a behavior code for the table, some of us are seated and some of us serve. As a disciple, Luke describes the servant in Luke 22: 25-30, “He said to them, “The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them and those in authority over them are addressed as ‘Benefactors’; but among you, it shall not be so. Rather, let the greatest among you be as the youngest, and the leader as the servant. For who is as the servant? For who is greater: the one seated at the table or the one who serves? Is it not the one seated at table? I am among you as the one who serves. It is you who have stood by me in my trials; and I confer a kingdom on you just as my Father has conferred one on me, that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom; and you will sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.” In the Bible, there are several places where you must be worthy to sit at the table. Who sits at the head of the table? Usually, it is the head of the household. Who sits at the right hand of this head of the table? This is a place of great honor!
Often many of us are very busy and don’t take the time to sit at the table much less set the table. We are too busy to sit across from another person to listen, talk, make plans, and be hospitable. We may have forgotten that eating at the table with your family is a way to bond and bring things to light. As we prepare to enter the Thanksgiving, Advent, and Christmas season, take time to set the table!
Reflect on and talk about all the delightful things that take place at that table. Make your table a place where all are welcome, where blessings overflow. Talk, pray, and seek forgiveness from your family at the table. There are even more blessings that await you at the Table of God. All are welcome at His Table, take your seat and go to Mass together. If you haven’t been in a while, rest assured, you are invited and you are most welcome.
Here’s what the Scriptures have to say:
Psalm 23:5 – You set a table before me as my enemy’s watch.
Matthew 9:10 – While he was at table in his house, many tax collectors and sinners came and sat with Jesus and his disciples.
Daniel Chapter 1 – The Food Test!
Exodus 25:23-30 – You shall also make a table of acacia wood, two cubits long, a cubit wide, and a cubit and a half high. Plate it with pure gold and make a molding of gold around it. Surround it with a frame, a handbreadth high, with a molding of gold around the frame. You shall also make four rings of gold for it and fasten them at the four corners, one at each leg, on two holders for the poles to carry the table. These poles for carrying the table you shall make of acacia wood and plate with gold. Of pure gold, you shall make its pitchers and bowls for pouring libations. On the table, you shall always keep showbread set before me.
Here are a few prayers for you to share at your table:
The Hand That Made the Hands For the hands that tilled, for the hands that harvested, for the hands that processed, for the hands that transported, for the hands that stocked, for the hands that sold, for the hands that bought, for the hands that prepared, for the hands that will hold, for the hand that made the hands, our hearts are forever grateful. Amen. (Ewan Aitken, printed in Blessed be our Table, Wild Goose 2003)
Litany of Thanksgiving
Let us give thanks to God our Father for all his gifts so freely bestowed upon us.
For the beauty and wonder of your creation, in earth and sky and sea. We thank you, Lord.
For all that is gracious in the lives of men and women, revealing the image of Christ. We thank you, Lord.
For our daily food and drink, our homes, and families, and our friends. We thank you, Lord.
For minds to think, and hearts to love, and hands to serve. We thank you, Lord.
For health and strength to work, and leisure to rest and play. We thank you, Lord.
For the brave and courageous, who are patient in suffering and faithful in adversity. We thank you, Lord.
For all valiant seekers after truth, liberty, and justice. We thank you, Lord.
For the communion of saints, in all times and places. We thank you, Lord.
Above all, we give you thanks for the great mercies and promises given to us in Christ Jesus our Lord; To him be praise and glory, with you, O Father, and the Holy Spirit, now and forever. Amen.
By Beth Zanotelli, Family Life Coordinator for the Diocese of Palm Beach
Who is Mary? Why do we honor her? How can we imitate her to become better disciples of Jesus? What are her messages? How can Mary bring us deeper in our faith, and closer to Jesus?
So many questions surrounding the Blessed Virgin Mary! As we often do, we complicate what is quite simple. In answer to the question “Who is Mary?”: She is a girl from Nazareth; she is the daughter of Anna and Joachim; she is the cousin of Elizabeth; she is the bride of Joseph; she is ALSO, the mother of Jesus, the newborn babe; she is a guest and caring friend at the wedding feast in Cana; she is the woman at the foot of the Cross; she is a disciple in the upper room at Pentecost.
Mary’s identity is God-given, special and unique to her.
What does it mean to honor Mary? Our Judeo-Christian faith instructs us, actually commands us, to honor our mother and father. Just as we are called to honor our earthly parents, Mary is our heavenly Mother. The Canticle of Mary, that is Mary’s Song, is found in the Gospel of Luke 1:46-55. Mary responds to Elizabeth by saying, “All Generations will call me blessed.” How very true is this proclamation! Do we believe the scriptures that tell us Mary, by the power of the Holy Spirit, conceived and gave birth to the Christ Child? By honoring the Virgin Mary, the Mother of our Lord, we honor God himself. We ask her for her help and her prayers. The CCC (971) says: “The Church rightly honors the Blessed Virgin with special devotion. From the most ancient times the Blessed Virgin has been honored with the title of – ‘Mother of God,’ to whose protection the faithful fly in all their dangers and needs…This very special devotion differs essentially from the adoration which is given to the Incarnate Word and equally to the Father and the Holy Spirit, and greatly fosters this adoration.”
How can we imitate Mary and be a better disciple of Jesus? Imitate her virtue. While this takes a lifetime of formation in faith, there are 10 principal virtues listed in a small but powerful book by St. Louis de Monfort, called True Devotion to Mary. Entry #104 of this book, lists the Principal Virtues of Mary: “Her ten principal virtues are: deep humility, lively faith, blind obedience, unceasing prayer, constant self-denial, surpassing purity, ardent love, heroic patience, angelic kindness, and heavenly wisdom.” God chose Mary just as He chooses each of us for a high calling. If we want to be obedient to God’s plan for our life, we need to imitate Mary with a commitment and willingness to sacrifice out of love and devotion to our Savior.
What are Our Lady’s messages? From as early as A.D. 40, Mary has appeared to give messages of hope and love. Her messages are always meant to draw us closer to her Divine Son, Jesus, to give us inspiration, and to remind us of the virtues. Each time she brings a special but similar message emphasizing the importance of prayer. At Fatima she asked that we pray for the conversion of Russia; to pray the Rosary every day to obtain peace for the world; to pray to Her Immaculate Heart, and she asked us not to lie, envy, or speak badly of others.
How can Mary bring us deeper in our faith, and closer to Jesus?At Cana, Mary’s message is “Do whatever he tells you.” When you pray, listen; when you read Scripture, listen; when you gaze on the beauty of God’s creation, listen; Listen for ways God is calling you closer; Listen for ways you can “be Jesus” to others; Listen to hear God’s plan for you.
Mary is called the first disciple. She followed Jesus throughout His life, she was at the foot of the cross when Jesus died, she celebrated His resurrection and was with the disciples at Pentecost. If we desire to be like Mary, willing to accept God’s plan no matter the cost, we can and should rejoice in the plan that God has for us…
Who are YOU? What is YOUR “song”? What is God calling YOU to say “yes” to?
YOUR identity is God-given, special, and unique to YOU. Give God YOUR Fiat!
Here’s what the Scriptures have to say:
Luke 1:46-55 – My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord; my spirit rejoices in God my savior. For he has looked upon his handmaid’s lowliness; behold, from now on will all ages call me blessed. The Mighty One has done great things for me, and holy is his name. His mercy is from age to age to those who fear him. He has shown might with his arm, dispersed the arrogant of mind and heart. He has thrown down the rulers from their thrones but lifted up the lowly. The hungry he has filled with good things; the rich he has sent away empty. He has helped Israel his servant, remembering his mercy according to his promise to our fathers, to Abraham and to his descendants forever.
John 2:1-12– On the third day there was a wedding in Cana in Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. Jesus and his disciples ere also invited to the wedding. When the wine ran short, the mother of Jesus said to him, “They have no wine.” Jesus said to her, “Woman how does your concern affect me? My hour has not yet come.” His mother said to the servers, “Do whatever he tells you.” Now there were six stone water jars there for Jewish ceremonial washings, each holding twenty to thirty gallons. Jesus told them, “Fill the jars with water.” So, they filled them to the brim. Then he told them, “Draw some out now and take it to the headwaiter.” So, they took it. And when the headwaiter tasted the water that had become wine, without knowing where it came from, the headwaiter called the bridegroom and said to him, “Everyone serves good wine first, and then when the people have drunk freely, an inferior one; but you have kept the good wine until now.” Jesus did this as the beginning of his signs in Cana in Galilee and so revealed his glory, and his disciples began to believe in him. After this, he and his mother, brothers, and his disciples, went down to Capernaum and stayed there only a few days.
Luke 2:22-32 – When the days were completed for their purification according to the law of Moses, they took him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord, just as it is written in the law of the Lord, “Every male that opens the womb shall be consecrated to the Lord,” and to offer the sacrifice of “a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons,” in accordance with the dictate in the law of the Lord. Now there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon. This man was righteous and devout, awaiting the consolation of Israel, and the holy Spirit was upon him. It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he should not see death before he had seen the Messiah of the Lord. He came in the Spirit into the temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus to perform the custom of the law in regard to him, he took him into his arms and blessed God, saying: “Now, Master, you may let your servant go in peace, according to your word, for my eyes have seen your salvation, which you prepared in sight of all the peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and glory for your people Israel.”
Author: Beth Zanotelli, Family Life Coordinator for the Diocese of Palm Beach
Before you ask what is your disposition, you might have to first ask yourself, what is disposition? It’s a noun, that is, a person, place, or thing. This noun, however, you cannot hold in your hand. It is a part of you; it is your usual mood or temperament. Disposition could also be defined as a tendency. Are you a person who is joyful or do you tend to be gloomy? Are you a Tigger or an Eeyore? Is your “cup half full” or does your cup tend to be “half empty”? Does your disposition lean toward being a person who is receptive and open to what others have to say or do you tend to be close minded? Jesus tells many parables that teach us about disposition. In the Gospel of Matthew, we hear of Jesus talking to the crowds that gather. Just as any great teacher does, Jesus uses more than one explanation to convey His message about the Kingdom of God. Each parable uses a different image to explain His message. In the parable of the Sower, the seeds fall on different types of soil. They fall on the path, on rocky ground, into thorns, or on fertile soil. Jesus explains that the Seeds are the Word of God. The different types of soil reflect the dispositions of our hearts. It’s only in the fertile soil that the Word of God can truly grow, take root, and bear fruit. (Matthew 13:1-15)
How can we change and prepare our hearts to receive the Word of God? What should be our disposition when we pray; when we read, listen to, or hear God’s Sacred Word? Jesus tells us to be open and receptive – “Harden NOT your hearts” (Hebrews 4:8). Let your heart be fertile and take time to cultivate your soul to be open to His Words, His Love, and His plan for you. Just like most of us, soil does not have the disposition to provide the seed with what it needs to survive AND thrive. That’s why a farmer prepares his field to receive the seed; tilling it, watering it, adding nutrients, giving the soil what it needs to produce an abundant harvest.
Look to Mary as an example of how to improve your disposition, she is the best example of one who is open and receptive to the Lord. She is totally attuned to God. Her Immaculate Heart is not hindered by sin or the world. Our Lady appeared to St. Brigid and told her, “The rose gives a fragrant odor; it is beautiful to the sight, and tender to the touch, and yet it grows among thorns, inimical (hostile) to the beauty and tenderness. So may also those who are mild, patient, beautiful in virtue, be put to the test among adversaries. And as the thorn, on the other hand, guards, so do wicked surroundings protect the just against sin, by demonstrating to them the destructiveness of sin.” Mary is designated as the Mystical Rose because her beauty leads us to God, and her fragrance attracts our souls to Christ.
Prepare the soil of your heart. Don’t let the world distract you, instead, allow adversity to inspire you to remain open. The first and easiest step might be to find your Bible and take it off the shelf, join a small group, read the Sunday readings the week before each Sunday Mass, and try to set aside time each day to prepare the soil of your heart.
Here’s what the Scriptures have to say:
Matthew 13:1-14 – On that day, Jesus went out of the house and sat down by the sea. Such large crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat down, and the whole crowd stood along the shore. And he spoke to them at length in parables, saying: “A Sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seed fell on the path, and birds came and ate it up. Some fell on rocky ground, where it had little soil. It sprang up at once because the soil was not deep, and when the sun rose it was scorched, and it withered for lack of roots. Some seed fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it. But some seed fell on rich soil, and produced fruit, a hundred or sixty or thirtyfold. Whoever has ears ought to hear.” The disciples approached him and said, “Why do you speak to them in parables?” He said to them in reply, “Because knowledge of the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven has been granted to you, but to them it has not been granted. To anyone who has, more will be given, and he will grow rich; from anyone who has not, even what he has will be taken away. This is why I speak to them in parables, because ‘they look but do not see and hear but do not listen or understand.’
Hebrews 3:13 – Encourage yourselves daily while it is still “today,” so that none of you may grow hardened by the deceit of sin. We have become partners of Christ if only we hold the beginning of the reality firm until the beginning of the reality firm until the end, for it is said: “Oh, that today you would hear his voice: ‘Harden not your hearts as at the rebellion.’”
2 Timothy 3:14-16 – But you, remain faithful to what you have learned and believed, because you know from whom you learned it, and that from infancy you have known the sacred scriptures, which are capable of giving you wisdom for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.
Author: Catherine Loh, Diocese of Palm BeachDirector of Marriage, Family Life, Faith Formation, and Youth Ministry
As summer vacation stretches out before us, beckoning us to locales far and near, we relish the promise of relaxation and release from the demands of our everyday lives, even temporarily. However, while some ‘demands’, like school or work, can be placed on hold for a time, others do not diminish or release their hold on us. Some of those demands are ontological (fundamental), they are part of our nature, who we are, our relationships with others. Can a mother or a father ever stop being a mother or father? Can a daughter or a son truly erase that relationship? What about a priest who, through ordination, has become a priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek? (Psalms 110:4) We can take a vacation. We can stop doing, but we cannot stop being.
When we are baptized, we become adopted children of God, co-heirs with Christ, and temples of the Holy Spirit, forever changed by the sacramental graces. Even if we turn our back on our baptismal promises, we cannot erase the nature of our relationship with God. But we can affect the impact or fruit of these graces in our lives depending on if and how we respond to the gift.
Just what is the nature of this gift, how far-reaching is it? From the very beginning, we understand that our life, our very being, is a gift from God, and it is only through God that we continue to exist. The Creation account from Genesis 2:7 tells us: “then the Lord God formed man of dust from the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being.” In a reflection on this truth, the psalmist praises God: “For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well.” (Psalm 139:13-14) St. Paul the Apostle attributes our continued existence to God as he evangelizes in Athens: “Yet he [God] is actually not far from each one of us, for “‘In him we live and move and have our being’…” (Acts 17:27b-28a) Paul returns to this theme in many of his letters to the church communities he establishes on his various journeys to share the Gospel. Indeed, God both gives us and continues to hold us in existence.
We have so much to thank God for. Scripture tells us that everything we have comes from God. “Do not be deceived…. Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change” (James 1:16-17). Every good gift comes from God.
So, why would we even consider taking a vacation from God? If God holds us in existence, how can we expect to survive, let alone flourish, without him? What if he took a vacation from us? If every good gift is from him, even our vacation is a gift from him. Why would we exclude him? The only right response is gratitude, not neglect.
Let us resolve to observe the commandment to keep the Sabbath day holy, and invite God to accompany us on vacation, so we can show him our gratitude for every good gift. And where can we find him, body, blood, soul, and divinity? At Mass, in the Eucharist, in every Catholic Church in every corner of the world. As Catholics, we keep the Sabbath holy by attending Mass where participation in the Eucharist is an act of thanksgiving for all that God has done for us. Finding a local Mass is simple; check this link: MassTimes – Find Catholic worship times for Mass, Confession, Adoration and Holy Days
Here’s what the Scriptures have to say:
Acts 17:27b-28 – Yet he is actually not far from each one of us, for ‘In him we live and move and have our being’; as even some of your own poets have said, ‘For we are indeed his offspring.’
1 Corinthians 8:6 – …yet for us there is one God, the Father, from whom are all things and from whom we exist, and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things and through whom we exist.
Colossians 1:17 – And he [Christ] is before all things, and in him all things hold together.
Deuteronomy 5:12 – Observe the Sabbath day, to keep it holy, as the Lord your God commanded you.
Author: Beth Zanotelli, Family Life Coordinator for the Diocese of Palm Beach
When we make the Sign of the Cross, we pray, “In the name of the Father”, so we begin this prayer with the Father. God, our Father! He is the beginning, our beginning, He is our Creator. God the Father is our true source of strength, and God is Love. He hears our prayers and knows our joys and our sorrows. There is nothing that can compare to God’s great love! Most important, there is nothing that can separate us from God’s great love – nothing.
When we pray the prayer that Jesus taught us, again we begin with “Our Father who art in heaven. We give him the praise that is due when we pray, “Hallowed be thy name”. He should be our most important relationship, and we revere Him with the utmost love and loyalty.
So, how do we learn about God’s great love? How do we know the love of the Father? How do we appreciate the gift of our life, given by God the Father? One, very important way that we first come to know the love of our heavenly Father….is through our earthly father. The gift of fatherhood is such a special role and so often overlooked. Our Heavenly Father loves us, so too our earthly dads love us giving us a glimpse of the Father’s great love for us! Earthly dads can be our biological dads or sometimes we have “father-figures” who are our spiritual dads. These great men have a special role to play in their children’s lives. Our earthly fathers are called to sacrifice for us, to teach us, and to bear witness to the faith. They point us to our heavenly Father. If our families could be seen as a team, dads would be the most beloved coach of our family team.
The role of fatherhood is daunting and is filled with many joys, sacrifices, and trials. We know our earthly father can only give us a glimpse of God. Our dads are human, and they need a Savior, just like us. Often our earthly dads need to learn how to love rightly. They may not understand how to love as the Father has loved us.
Pray for fathers! Pray that they find healing from any brokenness. Pray that they can inspire their children; pray that they can forgive like God the Father; pray that they can be supportive and understanding. Pray for fathers to always be concerned for others, especially the members of their family so they can be a witness of the strength and love of God, our heavenly Father. Pray for fathers that they can love their heavenly Father, their wives and in turn their children with Christ-like love. Take the time to say, “thank you and I love you”. Thank them for their sacrifices, for teaching us, and for giving us a glimpse of God the Father’s love.
Here’s what the scriptures have to say:
John 3:16 – For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life.
1 John 4:8-10 – Whoever is without love does not know God, for God is love. In this way the love of God was revealed to us: God sent his only Son into the world so that we might have life through him.
Deuteronomy 4:29 – Yet there too you shall seek the Lord, your God; and you shall indeed find him when you search after him with your whole heart and your whole soul. In your distress, when all these things shall have come upon you, you shall finally return to the Lord, your God and heed his voice. Since the Lord, your God is a merciful God, he will not abandon and destroy you, nor forget the covenant which under oath he made with your fathers.
John 13:34-35 – I give you a new commandment: love one another. As I have loved you, so you also should love one another. This is how all will know that you are my disciples if you have love for one another.
Author: Beth Zanotelli, Family Life Coordinator for the Diocese of Palm Beach
Are the 10 Commandments a set of miserable laws that we are to follow because God wants to take the fun out of life? Does God intend for us to be filled with gloom and despair? In fact, the 10 commandments forbid sin, but they also point us to virtues to help us avoid sin! In this life, God desires joy for us. Make no mistake we must “labor in the fields” of life, but God gave us the gift of life and created us in His likeness and image…He desires for us to have a loving relationship with Him. The 10 Commandments allow us to enter into God’s love, they are not restrictions to our freedom. A life lived in a loving relationship with God, will be one filled with joy…radiant Joy! The problem is that many of us haven’t experienced this radiant joy, so many of us settle for what we know…fleeting happiness. If joy is found in the virtuous life of generosity, humility, gentleness, purity of heart, temperance, and fortitude, why would we want to live the temporary pleasures of a life of pride, greed, envy, anger, lust, gluttony, and laziness? Perhaps it’s easier to focus on ourselves in the present moment than on the ever-present love of God; perhaps we don’t have a relationship with God that fosters a virtuous life.
So, what is the difference between happiness and joy? Happiness is a reaction to pleasure. We are happy when we eat something delicious, when something good happens in our life, it is pleasurable. It is a reaction to an outside influence that we do not control. Happiness can be taken away when the flavor of the food is gone, when the good thing happening fades away. Joy is so much more.
In the Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC 1720-1723), in the section about Christian Beatitude, we are called to “enter into the joy of the Lord”, this “beatitude” surpasses the understanding and powers of man. “It comes from an entirely free gift from God: whence it is called supernatural, as is the grace that disposes man to enter into the divine joy.” Paragraph 1723 says that “true happiness (joy) is not found in riches or well-being, in human fame or power, or in any human achievement – however beneficial it may be – such as science, technology, and art, or indeed in any creature but in God alone, the source of every good and of all love.”
Joy has many deeper meanings that can be seen more clearly in Holy Scripture. In Luke 1:44, joy is the response of the soul when “the child in my womb leaped for joy.” And when Zacchaeus met Christ, “He made haste, and came down; and received Him with joy. (Luke 1:44) Joy also is a personal fullness or completeness; it is a deep peace which comes from the Holy Spirit naturally dwelling within you. The joy from this indwelling stays with you even in difficult times. In John 16:22, “So you also are now in anguish. But I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy away from you.” Best of all, joy is the fruit of faith, hope, and love. To be radiant with joy, have faith in God, hope in Him and above all know His love…this is true goodness that brings lasting peace.
Here’s what Scripture has to say:
Psalm 34:6 – Look to God that you may be radiant with joy and your faces may not blush for shame.
John 15:11 – I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and your joy may be complete. (Keep reading…)
John 17:13 – But now I am coming to you. I speak this in the world so that they may share my joy completely. (Keep reading…)
Romans 15:13 — May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
2 Corinthians 8:2 — for in a severe test of affliction, the abundance of their joy and their profound poverty overflowed in a wealth of generosity on their part.
Galatians 5:16-22 — In contrast, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.
Hebrews 10:34 – You even joined in the suffering of those in prison and joyfully accepted the confiscation of your property, knowing that you had a better and lasting possession.
Author: Beth Zanotelli, Family Life Coordinator for the Diocese of Palm Beach
A wise priest recently spoke about parenting in his homily. He said, “When your kids do something wrong rather than asking them, ‘What were you thinking?’…ask them, ‘What did you expect would happen?’”. It is a great question that can help all of us learn from our mistakes. This question causes us to intentionally think about our actions, something we could all benefit from! This question makes a case for being intentional and thinking before we act. Perhaps we would make fewer poor choices if we paused to think about the outcome of our actions more often and before we acted. It is important to consider that the outcome of our actions most often affects someone else’s life. Think about selfish actions like gossip, being judgmental, even speeding; on the positive side, think about giving a gift, saying something kind, offering help, or stopping when the light turns yellow. Each of these actions affects another person. Perhaps we should think of others more than we think of ourselves! Being more intentional in our actions, making ourselves a gift to others, thinking before we act and speak. All these things seem simple enough!
How can we be more intentional? At the beginning of the day, wake up thinking of the actions that will glorify God. We can offer our day to the Lord by saying, “This day is Yours, God – I give it to you!” We can think of ways to sacrifice for others, instead of ways to personally gain. We can ask ourselves, “What do I expect will happen?”
At the end of the day, we can do an examination of conscience. We can take time to think about the things that happened during the day; Ask ourselves if we thought before we acted; Ask ourselves how we impacted the life of another; ask ourselves if things turned out the way we expected…would God be glorified by our actions?
“What did we expect would happen?”, makes a great question for an examination of conscience before the Sacrament of Reconciliation. What did we think would happen if we were lazy and didn’t go to mass? What did we expect to happen when we judged someone by how they looked, or what they did? What did we expect to happen when we gossiped? What did we expect would happen when we ignored someone or cast them aside because we were too busy? What did we expect to happen when _______? Fill in the blanks.
Here’s what the scriptures have to say:
Ephesians 5:15-17 – Watch carefully then how you live, not as foolish persons but as wise, making the most of the opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore, do not continue in ignorance, but try to understand what is the will of the Lord.
1 Corinthians 10:31 – So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do everything for the glory of God.
John 15:13 – No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.
Hebrews 10:24-25 – We must consider how to rouse one another to love and good works. We should not stay away from our assembly, as is the custom of some, but encourage one another, and this all the more as you see the day drawing near.
Philippians 3:13-14 – Brothers, I for my part do not consider myself to have taken possession. Just one thing: forgetting what lies behind but straining forward to what lies ahead, I continue my pursuit toward the goal, the prize of God’s upward calling, in Christ Jesus.
Ephesians 4:32 – And be kind to one another, compassionate, forgiving one another as God has forgiven you in Christ.
Author: Beth Zanotelli, Family Life Coordinator for the Diocese of Palm Beach
The Collect for mass a few days ago said, “Show gracious favor, O Lord, we pray, to the works of penance we have begun, that we may have the strength to accomplish with sincerity the bodily observances we undertake.” We are in the first week of Lent and many, if not most of us have made some kind of commitment to fast, pray and give alms. Each of us has the best of intentions, however, we easily get distracted, especially from new undertakings. Some might call this the “squirrel effect”. We can be focused on one thing and then something else catches our attention, and “squirrel” we are off doing something completely different. How many times have we gone to do something, and then accomplished five other things but not the thing we originally set out to do? Probably several times each day!
Whether it is the season of Lent or any other time, it is important to try to rid ourselves of the vices in our lives and to build virtuous habits. Along the way, there are distractions that keep us from fully reaching our goal. Each day we need to wake up and be reminded of what our good intentions are for the day and pray “for the strength to accomplish with sincerity the bodily observances we undertake.” When we attempt to avoid distractions, we need to have a plan, we need strength for the journey! First, we must remember each day what we want to accomplish or avoid, and second, we need to keep the manner, or sincerity of the fast that God desires us to have. The first thoughts or words we have in the morning could be, “Good Morning, Lord, please help me keep my promises today!” or “Today, help me be faithful”. Beyond remembering our acts of penance for Lent, what is the manner we are making them happen? The prophet Isaiah asks “Is this the manner of fasting I wish, of keeping a day of penance?” (Isaiah 58:5) For many of us, this is quite a huge undertaking…remember the task and do it in a manner worthy of God. The truth of the Word of God exists to help us. Take time to pray with His Word. Avoid the Squirrels and focus on what matters! Here’s some strength for the journey:
Pray for the ability to focus, not on ourselves, but rather to make a gift of our lives. (1Peter4:10)
Help us to learn to always seek to do His will, not our own. (Matthew 6:33)
Make love the rule, in all relationships (even our relationship with ourselves) disregard self-interest and always think of others. (Philippians 2:4)
Prefer the good of others to our own. (Colossians 1: 9-12)
Here’s what the Scriptures have to say:
1 Peter 4:10 – As each one has received a gift, use it to serve one another as good stewards of God’s varied grace.
Matthew 6:33 – But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given you besides.
Philippians 2:3-4 – Do nothing out of selfishness or out of vainglory; rather, humbly regard others as more important than yourselves, each looking out not for his own interests, but also everyone for those of others.
Colossians 1:9-12 – Therefore, from the day we heard this, we do not cease praying for you and asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding to live in a manner worthy of the Lord, so as to be fully pleasing, in every good work bearing fruit and growing in the knowledge of God, strengthened with every power, in accord with his glorious might, for all endurance and patience, with joy giving thanks to the Father, who has made you fit to share in the inheritance of the holy ones in light.
Keep God as the focus of everything in your life, receive Him in the Eucharist and you will receive His grace, be healed, forgiven, and made whole because – God is Love!
Author: Beth Zanotelli, Family Life Coordinator for the Diocese of Palm Beach
1 Corinthians 13:4-8 begins with a list of characteristics describing love. Love is patient, kind, not jealous, not pompous, not inflated, not rude. The passage goes on to include that love does not seek its own interests, it is not quick-tempered, and doesn’t brood over injury. There is so much here, but to be clear, the opposite of brooding over injuries is forgiving those who offend us right away and from the heart. The list is not finished because 1 Corinthians continues by telling us that Love does not rejoice over wrongdoing but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, which means it is willing to carry our load and sacrifice for each of us. To Love is to will the good of others. Love believes, hopes, and endures. Finally, Love never fails. What a beautiful description of God’s authentic love for His children.
God’s authentic love is far beyond what most of us are used to giving and receiving from one another. God loves us so much that he calls us to something greater. He welcomes us with open arms when we mess up and His love includes mercy and compassion. Even though we often fall short, we should not hesitate to ask Him for more than we feel worthy of receiving. In Matthew 8:8 the Centurion says, “Lord, I am not worthy to have you enter under my roof; only say the word and my servant will be healed.” These are the same words we recite before receiving Him in the Eucharist. All He has to do is say a word and we are healed, forgiven, and made whole. We receive His grace as we receive Him; With His grace we can authentically love one another.
Keep God as the focus of everything in your life, receive Him in the Eucharist and you will receive His grace, be healed, forgiven, and made whole because – God is Love!
Here’s what the Scriptures have to say:
1 Corinthians 13:4-8 – Love is patient, love is kind. It is not jealous, is not pompous, it is not inflated, it is not rude, it does not seek its own interests, it is not quick-tempered, it does not brood over injury, it does not rejoice over wrongdoing but rejoices with the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things endures all things. Love never fails…
1 John 4:7-8 – Beloved, let us love one another, because love is of God; everyone who loves is begotten by God and knows God. Whoever is without love does not know God, for God is love.
John 13:34-35 – I give you a new commandment: love one another. As I have loved you, so you also should love one another. This is how all will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”
Author: Beth Zanotelli, Family Life Coordinator for the Diocese of Palm Beach
The Feast of the Epiphany, this year, observed on January 8, is the celebration of the Magi who come from the East to find the King of Kings, the Christ child, so they could worship Him. They were searching for the fulfillment of prophecy, but it is likely they didn’t know what they would find. They knew there was something great, they knew there was something more. “Do you see what I see?” A star, announcing the birth of Christ! St. John Chrysostom spoke of “the star that remained after bringing them to the place, in order that the child might also be seen. For there is nothing conspicuous about the place. The inn was ordinary. The mother was not celebrated or notable. The star was needed to manifest and illumine the lowly place, until they had reached their destination at the manger.” At the manger, they encountered the Christ Child! They worshipped Him and gave Him gifts.
We all have a desire for something more, perhaps a quest for greatness. We are all searching in our own way. To know God and to know that He loves us is our greatest desire. We need to have faith, the size of a mustard seed to find what we search for. We need faith to encounter Jesus, the King of Kings. We need to follow the Light. When we have the grace of faith, we can recognize and believe what has been with us all along! What does it mean to believe? St. Thomas Aquinas says that “believing is an act of the intellect assenting to the divine truth by command of the will moved by God through grace”.
The kings traveled from afar to find Truth, to find the Prince of Peace, to find the King of Kings! When they found Him, they worshipped Him, and they gave Him extravagant gifts. They took the message of the Christ child back to their homeland so that others might share the light of Christ. Pray that you will find Him! Pray that you will be a good witness of the joy of the Christ child, the Gospel, the Light of the World! Take Him with you to the ends of the earth to help others find what they are searching for.
Here’s what the Scriptures have to say:
Matthew 2: 9-10 – …and behold, the star that they had seen at its rising preceded them, until it came and stopped over the place where the child was. They were overjoyed at seeing the star.
Matthew 5:14-16 – You are the light of the world. A city set on a mountain cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and then put it under a bushel basket; it is set on a lampstand, where it gives light to all in the house. Just so, your light must shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your heavenly Father.
Isaiah 52:7 – How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings glad tidings, announcing peace, bearing good news, announcing salvation, and saying to Zion, “Your God is King!”
Author: Beth Zanotelli, Family Life Coordinator for the Diocese of Palm Beach
“O Come Let Us Adore Him!” This phrase is heard so often during the Advent and Christmas Season. What does it mean to adore? If we break the word down, “adore” comes from the Latin “adorare” which means to speak to formally; to ask in prayer; to beseech. Let us Adore Him, is so much more than looking at the sweet newborn baby who is “adorable.” Perhaps the phrase should say, “O come let us pay honor to the One who deserves all praise”. Or better, “O come let us spend time face-to-face with the living God.” It might be best to say, “O come let us spend time gazing at Him in love and awe.”
When we make the sign of the cross – if done with reverence, it can be a moment of adoration, we can encounter His blessing and His love. Another sign of encounter is the incense that is used to show honor to the presence of Christ among us. Psalm 141 verse 2 says, “Let my prayer be incense before you”, the incense rises like our prayers to God. Incense is meant to call us deeper into worship of Our Lord.
When we adore the Lord in Eucharistic Adoration, we can increase our desire to receive Christ in the Eucharist at Mass. Pope Benedict XVI teaches us in his letter, Sacrimentum Caritatis, “In the Eucharist, the Son of God comes to meet us and desires to become one with us; Eucharistic Adoration is simply the natural consequence of the Eucharistic celebration, which is itself the Church’s supreme act of adoration.”
During prayer and reflection time, adore Him, adore Christ. Do we believe that He is truly present in the Eucharist? Do we trust Him with our whole life, our future? Could we trust Him more? Are we grateful for what God has done in our life? Especially during this season of Advent, let us be intentional in our prayers and take time to find Him, to spend time with Him and to Adore Him.
Here’s what the Scriptures have to say:
Psalm 95: 1-5 – Come, let us sing joyfully to the Lord: cry out to the rock of our salvation. Let us greet him with a song of praise, joyfully sing out our psalms. For the Lord is the great God, the great king over all gods, whose hand holds the depths of the earth, who owns the tops of the mountains. The sea and dry land belong to God, how made them, formed them by hand.
Revelation 4:11 – Worthy are you, Lord our God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things; because of your will they came to be and were created.
Luke 4:8 – Jesus said to him in reply, “It is written: ‘You shall worship the Lord, your God, and him alone shall you serve.’”
Ephesians 3:14 -19 – For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, that he may grant you in accord with the riches of his glory to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in the inner self, and that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the holy ones what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, so that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.
Author: Beth Zanotelli, Family Life Coordinator for the Diocese of Palm Beach
How many times a day do you stop to say, “Thank You”? How often do you express your thanks, especially to God, your Creator? For your alarm clock…thank you God! For gainful employment…thank you God! Maybe you are blessed to raise your children and not work outside the home…thank you God! For a cup of coffee…thank you God! When it is someone’s birthday, do you thank God for the gift of this person’s life…THANK YOU GOD!
God created us in His divine image, male and female He created us. (Genesis 1:27) This means He made each of us good, in fact very good, both body and soul. It means He didn’t want us to be alone, so He gave us one another for loving relationships. He created Male and Female to complement each other. God created you OUT of His love for you. God created you FOR love from others. And God created you TO love others. Our lives are to be a gift of love to one another. God created us, with our bodies, to make visible the seemingly invisible love of God. “The body, in fact, and only the body, is capable of making visible what is invisible; the spiritual and the divine. It has been created to transfer into the visible reality of the world the mystery hidden from eternity in God, and thus to be a sign of it.” (Theology of the Body 19:4) Let that settle in your heart, YOU were created specifically to be a visible reality to others in our world of the mystery of our God and to be a sign of it…Thank you God!
God created us in His divine image, male and female He created us. (Still from Genesis 1:27) God is perfect and everything He does is perfect. In the Catechism of the Catholic Church it says, “The divine image is present in everyone. It shines forth in the communion of persons, in the likeness of the unity of the divine persons among themselves.” (CCC 1702) You and every person you know are made in God’s image and so reflect some aspect of God to the world. Human persons most clearly reflect God in our relationships. Our relationship with God, with ourselves, with one another, and with creation.
Take time to say, “Thank You God!” for your relationships…if they are not loving relationships, ask God how you can make them more loving. Thank God for helping you as you mend your relationships with Him, with yourself, with others and with creation. Thank God for His Mercy and for creating you, creating you VERY GOOD…THANK YOU GOD!
Author: Beth Zanotelli, Family Life Coordinator for the Diocese of Palm Beach
St. Teresa of Calcutta also known as Mother Teresa said, “Prayer is not asking. Prayer is putting oneself in the hands of God, at His disposition, and listening to His voice in the depth of our hearts.” These words are a great way to understand and realize the importance of having a spiritual life. To put yourself in the hands of God…is to surrender your will to His. We need to say, “not my will, Lord, but yours be done.” Often our prayer life is full of whining and complaining, and of a laundry list of needs. Instead of asking, which we need to do, Mother Teresa invites us to listen to His voice in the depth of our hearts.
This seems like an easy task when Mother Teresa says it…she is a consecrated woman, who spent her life in prayer and service to others. What about the person who has fallen away from the Lord, or struggles to know God? How do we connect with God amid all the chaos and confusion of the world? How do we listen to the Truth in our hearts and renounce the lies the world tells us?
Mother Teresa gives us more wisdom when she says, “We need to find God, and he cannot be found in noise and restlessness. God is the friend of silence. See how nature—trees, flowers, grass—grows in silence; see the stars, the moon, and the sun, how they move in silence. We need silence to be able to touch souls.” If God is a friend of silence, imagine his reaction to today’s noisy world. It is difficult to find a moment without technology buzzing, blinking, or pinging. How many conversations do we have each day that are interrupted by technology? God wants us to “grow in silence” or perhaps to be silent so we can grow!
It has been written about Mother Teresa that the first thing she did everyday was to say, “Good Morning, Jesus”. She would say this before she got out of bed, maybe even before she opened her eyes. It seems like a simple beginning to a new day and a simple beginning to a spiritual life. By saying “Good morning, Jesus”, you acknowledge the relationship that matters the most! Try saying, “Good morning, Jesus” out loud before you get out of bed. Try it for 10 days, after 10 days check and see if your prayer life has increased. Check and see if you have a closer relationship with God, and then keep saying it for another 10 days. Build new habits and good habits for the rest of your life by starting simple and doing things that are natural.
Here’s what Scripture has to say:
Matthew 6:6-8 – …when you pray, go to your inner room, close the door, and pray to your Father in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will repay you. In praying, do not babble like the pagans, who think that they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them. Your Father knows what you need before you ask him.
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 – Rejoice always. Pray without ceasing. In all circumstances give thanks, for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus.
Romans 8: 26-28 – In the same way, the Spirit too comes to the aid of our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but the Spirit itself intercedes with inexpressible groanings. And the one who searches hearts knows what is the intention of the Spirit, because it intercedes for the holy ones according to God’s will.
1 Kings 19:11-12 – Then the Lord said, “Go outside and stand on the mountain before the Lord; the Lord will be passing by.” A strong and heavy wind was rending the mountains and crushing rocks before the Lord – but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake – but the Lord was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake there was fire – but the Lord was not in the fire. After the fire there was a tiny whispering sound.
Author: Catherine Loh, Diocese of Palm Beach Director of Marriage, Family Life, Faith Formation and Youth Ministry
As we enter the month of July, we prepare for Independence Day, July 4th, when we celebrate the founding of our country and our hard-won freedom from tyranny at the hands of a foreign monarch. That hard-won fight enshrines not only our national freedom, our right to self-determination as an independent nation, but also our individual civil and religious freedoms.
Freedom is an alluring concept, but what is it exactly? A common dictionary definition asserts that freedom is “the power or right to act, speak, or think as one wants without hindrance or restraint.” Ask the average person on the street “what is freedom?” and the likely response is “to do whatever I want.” But is this really what true freedom is all about?
As Catholics, we know better…or rather, we should know better. We are told that true freedom is the freedom to choose the good, but how are we to understand that notion? If it is true freedom, how can there be supposed limits? Doesn’t freedom mean to choose what I want, regardless of the implications?
Let us look at what the Catholic Church has to say about true freedom. The Church teaches in the Catechism of the Catholic Church that freedom “is the power, rooted in reason and will, to act or not to act, to do this or that, and so to perform deliberate actions on one’s own responsibility” (CCC 1731). So far, so good. The Catechism continues: “Human freedom is a force for growth and maturity in truth and goodness; it attains its perfection when directed toward God, our beatitude.” (CCC 1731). There lays the “catch.” While we might like to think that true freedom is the ability to choose whatever we want, good or bad, true freedom can only be perfected, that is to be truly free, when it is directed toward God. Otherwise, it becomes subjected to evil, enslaving us to sin, and is no longer free.
Thinking about our first parents, Adam and Eve, we remember that they fell into Original Sin when they were tempted by the devil in the Garden of Eden. They had a free choice to make: to follow God’s command to not eat of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil (Genesis 2:16) or to disobey God and succumb to the suggestions of the devil (Genesis 3:1-6). They were given the freedom to choose, they chose poorly, and now we all must live with the consequences of that decision.
When original man “preferred himself to God” (CCC 398) and “let his trust in his Creator die in his heart” (CCC 397), he abused his freedom, he “preferred himself to God” (CCC 398). By this free choice, man lost his original holiness and harmony and placed himself at odds with God, becoming a slave to sin, and plunging the world into the consequences of sin. This abuse of freedom is exactly what Jesus came to set aright through his suffering, death, and resurrection, to restore our relationship with God.
How can we respond appropriately to this great gift and once again attain true freedom? We were all created in the image of God, for friendship with Him, but we can only live this friendship in free submission to Him. As created beings, we are subject to the Creator and to the laws of His creation and “to the moral norms that govern the use of freedom” (CCC 396). Until we unite our will perfectly with God’s own will, we always have the possibility of choosing evil over good. Every time we choose evil, we diminish our freedom and enslave ourselves to sin.
Now, each of us faces many choices daily. As long as our actions are voluntary, our freedom makes us responsible for our actions. We do well to remember, according to the moral law, we do not have the right to say or do anything we desire. Our exercise of freedom must be just, exhibiting love of God firstly and secondly, charity to our neighbor who we are called to love as ourselves (Mark 12:30-31). True freedom is only found in the service of what is good and just. The more we choose the good, the freer we become (CCC 1732-1733).
Let us remember that it is for “freedom that Christ has set us free” (Galatians 5:1). That freedom comes at a great price and must be grounded in the One who set us free otherwise we succumb to an illusion that is in truth, no freedom at all.
Here’s what the Scriptures have to say:
John 3: 16 – For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
Galatians 5: 13 – For you were called to freedom, brethren; only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love be servants of one another.
Mark 12 :30 – 31 – …and you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength. The second is this, You shall love your neighbor as yourself.
Author: Beth Zanotelli, Family Life Coordinator for the Diocese of Palm Beach
Have you ever heard of Milk Weed? It’s the plant that monarch butterflies eat. You can buy it at almost any plant store. You place it in the ground and miraculously within a few weeks you can witness an amazing transformation of caterpillar to chrysalis to butterfly. The life cycle of a butterfly is one of the many beautiful things God created. The butterfly lifecycle has lessons and symbolism that each of us can draw from. Silly though it may seem, this transformation is like the work of Jesus. The most obvious similarity is Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection. On Easter Sunday, the glory and beauty of the Resurrected Christ emerges from the tomb. There are no direct references to butterflies in the Bible, but did you ever ponder the new creation God desires from you each day? What if you allow Him to transform your life?
An early stage of the butterfly life cycle is the caterpillar, creeping, and eating. This creature transforms completely into a beautiful flying insect. It is completely changed in appearance and in the way it gets from one place to another. The caterpillar goes from crawling and transforms into a butterfly that flies! In Romans 12:1-2, St. Paul urges “by the mercies of God, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God, your spiritual worship. Do not conform yourselves to this age but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and pleasing and perfect.” When you seek to do God’s will, letting go of earthly pleasures and allowing your life to be a sacrifice for others, God transforms you. If you allow this transformation, you will put on the newness of life. You will see the life that God desires for you.
Another similarity to the life cycle of a butterfly is its nourishment. The caterpillar feeds on a weed. In the end, it has eaten the entire plant, growing huge by feasting, but it still longs for more. After the caterpillar transforms into a butterfly, there is a new feast. Now the butterfly feasts on the sweet nectar of flowers. When the Lord is allowed to enter and transform your heart, to create anew, you will long for the sweetness of eternal life with Him, the salvation of heaven! “So, whoever is in Christ is a new creation: the old things have passed away: behold, new things have come!” Corinthians 5:17.
Come to the banquet God has prepared for you! Feast on the Eucharist, the Living Bread of Life! Allow the Body of Christ to transform you from within. Seek forgiveness and healing. When you reconcile with others you reconcile with the Lord. As you continually die to sin you will be united with Christ in His life, death, and resurrection so you can join Him in Eternal Glory.
Here’s what Scripture has to say:
2 Corinthians 3:18 – All of us, gazing with unveiled face on the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, as from the Lord who is the Spirit.
Romans 6:4 – We were indeed buried with him through baptism into death, so that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might live in newness of life.
Acts 2:38 – Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the holy Spirit.”
Author: Beth Zanotelli, Family Life Coordinator for the Diocese of Palm Beach
As we journey closer to Easter, many people are preparing to enter the Catholic Church at the Easter Vigil. They are preparing to receive the Sacraments of Initiation beginning with Baptism. As with infants and children who are baptized, we the faithful, are called to accompany each other and especially our children who are newly baptized. We are called to welcome them into the fullness of our parish communities. It is the faithful who are to help them to know and understand the commission passed on to them at their baptism and to gradually shift themselves from, simply being the receivers to becoming joyful givers and doers! We are called to help each other become the person God created us to be.
In St. John Paul II’s Gaudium et Spes, he reminds us that the Church teaches, that we are most fully human when we give ourselves to others and when we receive from others (Gaudium et Spes 24:3). In the Theology of the Body, we learn that God gave us bodies so that we can understand ourselves more deeply. Our bodies teach us truth. Our bodies can give us warning signs. Perhaps we need more sleep or need to drink more water. It is important that we respond in a right way from the start. We need to practice patience and learn self-mastery from a young age to guide us as we mature and grow.
When we live our lives as a gift, that is, when we sacrifice for others and live as we were created by God, we are most fully human. When we live as we are created, male and female, we learn how to live a life that fulfills God’s purpose for us – we will be happy and fulfilled. When God created us, he made us male and female, in His image and likeness. God created us in His image of love. God’s creation of man and woman is very good! Today let us live God’s plan, let us restore what is broken, and let us find out the truth about who we are and what we are called to be, people who receive and give love through our bodies and our bodily actions! Let us be most fully human.
Here’s what the scriptures have to say…
Ephesians 2:10 – For we are His handiwork, created in Christ Jesus for the good works that God has prepared in advance, that we should live in them.
Wisdom 13:5 – For from the greatness and the beauty of created things their original author, by analogy, is seen.
1 Peter 3:3-4 – Your adornment should not be an external one: braiding the hair, wearing gold jewelry, or dressing in fine clothes, but rather the hidden character of the heart, expressed in the imperishable beauty of gently and calm disposition, which is precious in the sight of God.
Author: Beth Zanotelli, Family Life Coordinator for the Diocese of Palm Beach
There are many twists and turns in our journey of life. Often these twists and turns lead us into places and situations we didn’t anticipate, and we must adjust our life or make changes. Some changes make us better, they are joyful, and we can see the beauty of God at work in our life. Some changes are difficult, and they force us to be strong, they draw us out of ourselves to experience life in way we have never seen. God is always at work in our lives, even when it may be a more difficult to see the beauty. Some changes challenge us to rise to an occasion, and in the end, we are somehow different. If we follow God’s plan and if we follow the Truth of the Gospel, we will be changed for the better. God’s plan for us is more than what we settle for in our everyday journey. We are made for more.
As we begin Lent, we enter another special time of reflection. Let us pray that the Lord will show us changes that we need to make and reveal ways that we could love like Him, forgive like Him, serve like Him, and give like Him. Remember that each time we encounter Christ in the Eucharist we are changed. As we encounter Christ in the Eucharist, draw near to Him, and allow him to bring a twist or turn to your journey of life. In our 40 days of Lent, let us allow ourselves to encounter Christ, to rise to an occasion, to help someone else, to be strong and to be forever changed.
Here’s what the Scriptures have to say…
Isaiah 64:7 – O Lord, you are our father; we are the clay and you the potter: we are all the work of your hands.
Romans 12:9-21– Let love be sincere; hate what is evil, hold on to what is good; love one another with mutual affection; anticipate one another in showing honor. Do not grow slack in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope, endure in affliction, persevere in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the holy ones, exercise hospitality. Bless those who persecute you, bless and do not curse them. Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. Have the same regard for one another; do not be haughty but associate with the lowly; do not be wise in your own estimation. Do not repay anyone evil for evil; be concerned for what is noble in the sight of all. If possible, on your part, live at peace with all. Beloved, do not look for revenge but leave room for the wrath; for it is written, “Vengeance in mine, I will repay says the Lord.” Rather, “if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by doing so doing you will heap burning coals upon his head.” Do not be conquered by evil but conquer evil with good.
John 15: 1-5 – “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vine grower. He takes away every branch in me that does not bear fruit, and every one that does he prunes so that it bears more fruit. You are already pruned because of the word that I spoke to you. Remain in me, as I remain in you. Just as a branch cannot bear fruit on its own unless it remains on the vine, so neither can you unless you remain in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever remains in me and I in him will bear much fruit, because without me you can do nothing.
Author: Beth Zanotelli, Diocese of Palm Beach Coordinator of Family Life
“Freedom’s goal is to lead us to flourish not to fail. Freedom’s goal is Truth, Beauty and Goodness.” These words from the September Joy of the Family Blog, are still ringing the bells of conscience and still ringing the bells in the pursuit of excellence. God has given us the gift of Free Will! Essentially, God is Pro-Choice! That’s right God is Pro-Choice! The difference is that God desires us to choose what is good and true so we can truly flourish as human beings. God gives us the ability to choose, however, He also gives us the 10 Commandments and the Beatitudes for us to form and live in good conscience. It is the good choices we make that set us apart and give us strength to love one another and serve one another. When we make worldly choices, we are only thinking about ourselves and most often we fall into sinful choices. G. K. Chesterton said, “A dead thing can go with the stream, but only a living thing can go against it.” Dare to be different and make Good Choices! Dare to swim against the stream of our culture.
So how do we choose what is Good? How do we pursue excellence, that is, Truth, Beauty, and Goodness? In today’s world how do we make choices and act in ways that are faithful and honor God? Again, remembering the Beatitudes and the 10 Commandments, the Catechism gives us the wisdom we need for good choices. First, we must be sure that the action of our choice is Good. Even if the intention is for the best…the action itself must be Good. Second, our actions must be with good intention. We should always have in our thoughts helping and serving others, not our own selfish intentions, or the intention to hurt or wrong someone. An example would be to befriend someone only to get ahead or to benefit in some way. The third way to make sure our choice is good is to be sure that no matter what the circumstances of your action, if it is a sinful action, it is not good, period. Pope Benedict XVI said, “Truth is not determined by a majority vote.” How can you dare to be different? How can you show that Christian freedom is different than how our culture views “freedom” today?
Here’s what the Scriptures and our Catholic faith have to say…
Galatians 5: 1 – For Freedom Christ set us free; so, stand firm and do not submit again to the yoke of slavery.
1 John 3:19-20 – We will know by this that we are of the truth and will assure our heart before Him in whatever our heart condemns us; for God is greater than our heart and knows all things.
Galatians 5: 13– For you were called for freedom, brothers. But do not use this freedom as an opportunity for the flesh; rather, serve one another through love.
CCC 1742 – Freedom and Grace. The grace of Christ is not in the slightest way a rival of our freedom when this freedom accords with the sense of the true and the good that God has put in the human heart. On the contrary, as Christian experience attests especially in prayer, the more docile we are to the promptings of grace, the more we grow in inner freedom and confidence during trials, such as those we face in the pressures and constraints of the outer world. By the working of grace, the Holy Spirit educates us in spiritual freedom to make us free collaborators in his work in the Church and in the world.
Proverbs 16:9 – The mind of the man plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps.
Author: Beth Zanotelli, Family Life Coordinator for the Diocese of Palm Beach
Each day you hear in the news and on social media that anxiety and fear are affecting more and more people in their day-to-day lives. Many are struggling with phobias, and anxieties that they didn’t have before. Psalm 23 is one of many reminders in Holy Scripture that we are never alone. Verse one says: “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.” Psalm 23 continues to give us hope…we are not alone. It is worth posting the entire Psalm here…
The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures; he leads me beside still waters; he restores my soul. He leads me in right paths for his name’s sake. Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I fear no evil; for you are with me; your rod and your staff – they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord my whole life long.
The Bible is God’s love letter to us. The Good Shepherd is constantly reminding and encouraging us.
Sometimes it’s easy to get caught up in what the world is telling you and it’s even easier to forget your common sense. When you develop the bad habit of focusing on the electronics in your life, it’s easy to feel alone and abandoned. Social Media and the news want you to think there is no hope. The world tempts us with empty promises and lies. Perhaps it’s time to create some distance from what the world is saying and practice focusing on what God is saying. Focus on your relationship with God, your relationship with yourself and your relationships with other people.
Be kind to yourself, when you feel alone, take a walk outside, look at the nature around you; focus on the goodness of God’s Creation. Hopefully, as the weather begins to cool you can take an early morning or early evening walk and breathe in fresh air. As you walk, make a connection with the awe and wonder of the gifts God has given each of us. As you walk or even as you sit, rekindle your relationship with God. You are not alone! Learn something about the creation around you.
It’s amazing how much money we spend on things, try spending money on experiences, like a class learning how to do something you’ve always wanted to try or learning about something you’ve always wanted to know. Feeling lonely? Try to boost your prayer time and rethink how you spend your spare time. Carve out some time without any electronics, no video games, no social media, no Netflix, or TV, and take off your watch if it connects you to all these things.
Do more things with people! Engage in a small group, a book club, a bible study, sports, a club…find ways to be around others. Avoid the self-check- out and say “hi” to the person scanning your purchase or if it can’t be avoided, say “hello” to the person at the self-check-out next to you. While you are being kind to yourself, focus on the present moment, no need to worry about the past or the future, focus on right now. When you have a conversation with someone, focus on what they are saying, look at their eyes when they speak. If you feel alone, stressed, or anxious, remember God is with you. He doesn’t change, He is always present, He doesn’t lie, you can trust Him. James 1:17 says “Whatever is good and perfect comes down to us from God our Father who created all the lights in the heavens. He never changes or casts a shifting shadow.”
Still feeling anxious and afraid? Try shifting your focus to others, how can you help someone else? Is there a small act of kindness that you could do for someone else today? Helping others is a way to feel connected and less alone. Try thinking about what you can give rather than what you can get. Pray for others and pay attention to the things that matter. Pay attention to the things that make you feel like you belong, things that make you feel connected.
It is easy to get caught up in the world. Create goals for yourself. Who is the person you would like to become? Keep track of your vision and pray that the Lord will keep you on the right path. Proverbs 3:5-6 reminds us to “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, on your own intelligence rely not; In all your ways be mindful of him, and he will make straight your paths.” You are never alone; God is with you!
Here’s what the Scriptures have to say:
Deuteronomy 31:6 – Be brave and steadfast; have no fear or dread of them, for it is the Lord, your God who marches with you; he will never fail you or forsake you.
Joshua 1:9 – I command you: be firm and steadfast! Do not fear nor be dismayed, for the Lord, your God is with you wherever you go.
John 14:27 – Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give it to you. Do not let your heart be troubled or afraid.
Psalm 23 – The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures; he leads me beside still waters; he restores my soul. He leads me in right paths for his name’s sake. Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I fear no evil; for you are with me; your rod and your staff – they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord my whole life long.
Proverbs 3:5-6 – Trust in the Lord with all your heart, on your own intelligence rely not; In all your ways be mindful of him, and he will make straight your paths.
James 1:17 – Whatever is good and perfect comes down to us from God our Father who created all the lights in the heavens. He never changes or casts a shifting shadow.
