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SPIRITUAL HOMILIES THAT LIVE ON
A "HOMILY": An informal explanation of Scripture, usually offered by a Priest, Minister, Rabbi or other holy man.
The following homilies are reproduced here as providing much better than average information and inspiration for all of us.
GS.WITH ATTENTION TO THIS, LIVING A GOOD LIFE IS REALLY EASY.
GS
THE TEN DAYS OF REPENTANCE, ROSH HASHANAH AND
YOM KIPPUR, SEPTEMBER 20 - 30.
These are the "holy of holies of Jewish time."
All Christians should take note as well, for the Jewish people are our elder brothers in Faith. This fact becomes crystal - clear by reading a remarkable article which appeared in WSJ Review, Sept. 16-17, 2017, pC3, entitled:
"The Challenge of Jewish Repentance" by Rabbi Jonathan Sacks.
The reassuring point is that its Theology could have been explained and embraced by a Catholic Priest or Protestant Minister.
Now if only Muslims could rid themselves of the cancer of murderous "Fundamentalism", then there would be real hope for world peace.
For, as noted in this fine article, "The real mystery is God's faith in us, not vice versa".
GS
"COMPASSION, NOT PITY".
In sermons such as this, Pope Francis achieves his mission as Shepherd In Chief, not only of Roman Catholics, but of all good people.
GS
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But when he saw how strong the wind was he became frightened; and, beginning to sink, he cried out, “Lord, save me!” Immediately Jesus stretched out his hand and caught Peter. From today's Gospel, Mt 14:22-33.
When we read this gospel passage we often think of Peter's time of doubt and of the importance of having faith. We may also wonder, “Why would Peter not trust?” If we put ourselves in Peter’s place, in the middle of a storm, would we have remained calm? Maybe, maybe not. We are human, it’s not easy to have steadfast faith. In our lives, what are the storms that sometimes cause us to shake or fall? Yet have we noticed that no matter how many times we fall, Jesus is there to pick us up? Perhaps if we refocus our vision not on the way Peter doubted but on how Jesus did not fail him, we will be able to understand the role of Jesus as our Savior in a much deeper way.
This Sunday let us reflect on the gift of God's presence and of His desire to be with us. After Peter cried out "Lord, save me!" Jesus immediately stretched out His hand. He did not delay. He did not ask any questions; His response was without hesitation. This reminds us of how Jesus is always near and always wants to help us. So much so that when we pray to God, it is because He inspires our desire to seek Him. He initiates, and salvation is being constantly offered to us. However, it is in how we respond that we can truly find redemption. We must allow God to save us. What would have happened if Peter would have preferred to swim back on his own because of pride? Instead he recognized Jesus was the only one powerful enough to overcome the storm and save him.
Can we allow ourselves to be saved? How? The answer is prayer. It is through prayer that we can see Jesus coming to us in the midst of a storm. "The wonder of prayer is revealed beside the well where we come seeking water: there, Christ comes to meet every human being. It is he who first seeks us and asks us for a drink. Jesus thirsts; his asking arises from the depths of God's desire for us. Whether we realize it or not, prayer is the encounter of God's thirst with ours. God thirsts that we may thirst for him." (CCC 2560)
Today, let’s allow ourselves to be saved. Let us not be afraid of the storms we are facing, in whatever form that storm may be. Let us remain at the expectation of our Lord coming to us, and when we see Him let us cry out like Peter, “Lord, save me!”
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LET'S TAKE STOCK OF OUR LIVES. THESE ARE THE FACTS. THEN:
1) Let's Thank God.
2) Let's "Pay It Forward".
3) For any worthwhile desires for the Future...
"Pray as if it all depends on God.
Work as if it all depends on yourself". (St. Augustine of Hippo).
GS
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"IF WE REALLY WANT TO LOVE, WE MUST LEARN TO FORGIVE".
St. Mother Teresa of Calcutta.
"THE TRUTH WILL MAKE YOU FREE".
The Lord.
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IN THESE TRYING TIMES, A GOOD PLAN FROM A WORLDLY SAINT.
"Pray like it all depends upon God.
Work like it all depends upon you".
St. Augustine of Hippo.
GS
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THANKS...I NEEDED THAT.
GS
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- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -Rapid Response for THURSDAY, April 23, 2020
RR#1
Thanks, I needed that.
GS
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RR#6
RR#7
How the Virus Tried to Steal Easter
by Kristi Bothur
(with a nod to Dr. Seuss)
Twas late in ‘19 when the virus began
Bringing chaos and fear to all people, each land.
People were sick, hospitals full,
Doctors overwhelmed, no one in school.
As winter gave way to the promise of spring,
The virus raged on, touching peasant and king.
People hid in their homes from the enemy unseen.
They YouTubed and Zoomed, social-distanced, and cleaned.
April approached and churches were closed.
“There won’t be an Easter,” the world supposed.
“There won’t be church services, and egg hunts are out.
No reason for new dresses when we can’t go about.”
Holy Week started, as bleak as the rest.
The world was focused on masks and on tests.
“Easter can’t happen this year,” it proclaimed.
“Online and at home, it just won’t be the same.”
Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, the days came and went.
The virus pressed on; it just would not relent.
The world woke Sunday and nothing had changed.
The virus still menaced, the people, estranged.
“Pooh pooh to the saints,” the world was grumbling.
“They’re finding out now that no Easter is coming.
“They’re just waking up! We know just what they’ll do!
Their mouths will hang open a minute or two,
And then all the saints will all cry boo-hoo.
“That noise,” said the world, “will be something to hear.”
So it paused and the world put a hand to its ear.
And it did hear a sound coming through all the skies.
It started down low, then it started to rise.
But the sound wasn’t depressed.
Why, this sound was triumphant!
It couldn’t be so!
But it grew with abundance!
The world stared around, popping its eyes.
Then it shook! What it saw was a shocking surprise!
Every saint in every nation, the tall and the small,
Was celebrating Jesus in spite of it all!
It hadn’t stopped Easter from coming! It came!
Somehow or other, it came just the same!
And the world with its life quite stuck in quarantine
Stood puzzling and puzzling.
“Just how can it be?”
“It came without bonnets, it came without bunnies,
It came without egg hunts, cantatas, or money.”
Then the world thought of something it hadn’t before.
“Maybe Easter,” it thought, “doesn’t come from a store.
Maybe Easter, perhaps, means a little bit more.”
And what happened then?
Well....the story’s not done.
What will YOU do?
Will you share with that one
Or two or more people needing hope in this night?
Will you share the source of your life in this fight?
The churches are empty - but so is the tomb,
And Jesus is victor over death, doom, and gloom.
So this year at Easter, let this be our prayer,
As the virus still rages all around, everywhere.
May the world see hope when it looks at God’s people.
May the world see the church is not a building or steeple.
May the world find Faith in Jesus’ death and resurrection,
May the world find Joy in a time of dejection.
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"WHY ARE YOU AFRAID? HAVE YOU NO FAITH?"
Regardless of one's Faith, these words and this Blessing should resonate among us all.
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Rapid Response for SATURDAY, March 21, 2020
Alright: I changed my mind, consistent with a little more time and with "a sense of proportion". Here is a different subject, which should resonate with all who have had a father...and even more with those who haven't.
Check out the book by Father Donald Calloway:
"Consecration to St. Joseph: The Wonders Of Our Spiritual Father".
But first read the excellent extended interview conducted with the author ("It Takes A Father", by Joseph Pronechen (in National Catholic Register, March 15, 2020, p5).
Whatever your Faith, and even for those without Faith: you won't be disappointed.
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Rapid Response for FRIDAY, March 6, 2020
THIS IS ABOUT LIFE AND DEATH...AND ABOUT THE CHOICES WE MIGHT WANT TO CONSIDER.
I have a personal prayer:
"I Love You. I Trust You. Thy Will Be Done. I Am Yours."
I also believe that, consistent with that position, we can have a role to play in our last days...totally excluding euthanasia, physician - assisted suicide, and all suicide.
To clarify, I suggest you read three articles - and then discuss them with your spiritual advisor.
a) "MY FATHER'S PASSPORT", by Christine Hemp (in NYTimes Jan. 23, 2020). I believe that a rational and also spiritual choice might be made under such circumstances, consistent with "The Will Of God".
b) Google Search: "Billionaire Dead From Pancreatic Cancer".
Steve Jobs was unfortunately not rational in placing his treatment in delusions for too long a time.
See also the article about him and his wife (Laurene Powell Jobs) ( in NYTimes March 1, 2020, Sunday Business).
c) "PREPARING FOR A GOOD END OF LIFE", by Katy Butler (in WSJ Feb. 9-10, 2020, Review, pC1).
Then, having done the above: "Don't Worry...Be Happy!"
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I LOVE YOU. I TRUST YOU. THY WILL BE DONE. I AM YOURS.
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Rapid Response for THURSDAY, October 17, 2019
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THIS I BELIEVE.
GS
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"IT IS FOOLISH AND WRONG TO MOURN THE MEN WHO DIED.
RATHER WE SHOULD THANK GOD THAT SUCH MEN LIVED."
General George PattonThese- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Rapid Response for SUNDAY, September 29, 2019
When an old man died in the geriatric ward of a nursing home in an Australian country town, it was believed that he had nothing left of any value. Later, when the nurses were going through his meager possessions, they found this poem. Its quality and content so impressed the staff that copies were made and distributed to every nurse in the hospital. One nurse took her copy to Melbourne ..
The old man’s sole bequest to posterity has since appeared in the Christmas editions of magazines around the country and appearing in mags for Mental Health. A slide presentation has also been made based on his simple, but eloquent, poem. And this old man, with nothing left to give to the world, is now the author of this ‘anonymous’ poem winging across the Internet.
~ CRANKY OLD MAN ~
What do you see nurses? . . . . . .What do you see?
What are you thinking . . . when you’re looking at me?
A cranky old man, . . . . . .not very wise,
Uncertain of habit . . . . . . . . with faraway eyes?
Who dribbles his food . . . . . and makes no reply.
When you say in a loud voice . . .’I do wish you’d try!’
Who seems not to notice . . . the things that you do.
And forever is losing . . . . . . . . A sock or shoe?
Who, resisting or not . . . . lets you do as you will,
With bathing and feeding . . . . The long day to fill?
Is that what you’re thinking?. . . Is that what you see?
Then open your eyes, nurse . . . you’re not looking at me.
I’ll tell you who I am . . . . . As I sit here so still,
As I do at your bidding, . . . . . as I eat at your will.
I’m a small child of Ten . . . . with a father and mother,
Brothers and sisters . . . . . who love one another.
A young boy of Sixteen . . . . . with wings on his feet.
Dreaming that soon now . . . . . a lover he’ll meet.
A groom soon at Twenty . . . . . my heart gives a leap.
Remembering, the vows . . . . . that I promised to keep.
At Twenty-Five, now . . . . . I have young of my own.
Who need me to guide . . . And a secure happy home.
A man of Thirty . . . . . . My young now grown fast,
Bound to each other . . . . . With ties that should last.
At Forty, my young sons . . . . . have grown and are gone,
But my woman is beside me . . . . to see I don’t mourn.
At Fifty, once more, . . . . Babies play ’round my knee,
Again, we know children . . . . My loved one and me.
Dark days are upon me . . . . My wife is now dead.
I look at the future . . . . . I shudder with dread.
For my young are all rearing . . . . young of their own.
And I think of the years . . . . . And the love that I’ve known.
I’m now an old man . . . . . . . and nature is cruel.
It’s jest to make old age . . . . . . . look like a fool.
The body, it crumbles . . . . . grace and vigour, depart.
There is now a stone . . . . . where I once had a heart.
But inside this old carcass . . . . . A young man still dwells,
And now and again . . . . . my battered heart swells.
I remember the joys . . . . . . I remember the pain.
And I’m loving and living . . . . . . . life over again.
I think of the years, all too few . . . . . gone too fast.
And accept the stark fact . . . . . that nothing can last.
So open your eyes, people . . . . .. . . open and see.
Not a Cranky Old Man! - - Look closer . . . . see . . . ME ! ! !
Remember this poem when you next meet an older person who you might brush aside without looking at the young soul within . . . .
we will all, one day, be there, too!- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -Rapid Response for SATURDAY, April 13, 2019
AN OFFERING FOR HOLY WEEK AND FOR PASSOVER.
"A classic episode of The Twilight Zone begins with a jewelry thief fleeing the police and getting shot. He is awakened in the afterlife by a man dressed in white, a 'guide' who assures him he has only one concern:
'Your comfort. My job is to see to it you get what you want - whatever it may be'. Incredulous, the shameless crook is soon wallowing in wealth, wine and women. Eventually, however, he becomes bored and argues there must have been some mistake. 'Look, I don't belong in heaven,' he says. 'I want to go to the other place'. The guide responds, 'Whatever gave you the idea you were in heaven'...This is the other place.'
In the episode's closing narrative, we're told, 'Now he has everything he's ever wanted - and he's going to have to live with it for eternity.'"
(From Editorial, Columbia magazine (Knights of Columbus) April 2019).
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ABOUT THE RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD.
Saint Paul, Saul of Tarsus, born just a few years before Jesus, and originally a persecutor of Christians, became one of the most important Christians ever to have lived. As a tireless apologist for Jesus, His mission and His message, Saint Paul traveled widely, spoke and wrote prolifically, and did not suffer fools.
Here is his message on the above question, offered in his First Letter to the Corinthians.
"Brothers and sisters: If Christ is preached as raised from the dead, how can some among you say there is no resurrection of the dead? If the dead are not raised, neither has Christ been raised, and if Christ has not been raised, your faith is vain; you are still in your sins. Then those who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. If for this life only we have hoped in Christ, we are the most pitiable people of all.
But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those have fallen asleep."
GOT IT?
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Rapid Response for SATURDAY, October 13, 2018
THIS IS FOR THE "OLDER FOLKS"...AND FOR ALL THOSE WHO WANNA BE.
"Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming: 'WOW!! WHAT A RIDE!"
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WHETHER YOU ARE CATHOLIC OR NOT,
OR MORE EXACTLY JUDEO-CHRISTIAN,
you may be interested in this summary of "What Catholics Believe", by Matthew Walther (in the week.com).
And know that, even if you are not interested, we Christians are interested in you.
GSRapid Response for WEDNESDAY, June 27, 2018
Steve Jobs last words...
Whether accurate or not, good advice.
He died a billionaire at 56yrs of Pancreatic Cancer and here are his last words on the sick bed:
"I reached the pinnacle of success in the business world. In others’ eyes my life is an epitome of success.
However, aside from work, I have little joy. In the end, wealth is only a fact of life that I am accustomed to.
At this moment, lying on the sick bed and recalling my whole life, I realize that all the recognition and
wealth that I took so much pride in, have paled and become meaningless in the face of impending death.
You can employ someone to drive the car for you, make money for you but you cannot have someone to bear the sickness for you.
Material things lost can be found. But there is one thing that can never be found when it is lost – "Life".
When a person goes into the operating room, he will realize that there is one book that he has yet to finish reading – "Book of Healthy Life".
Whichever stage in life we are at right now, with time, we will face the day when the curtain comes down.
Treasure Love for your family, love for your spouse, love for your friends...
Treat yourself well. Cherish others.
As we grow older, and hence wiser, we slowly realize that wearing a $300 or $30 watch - they both tell the same time...
Whether we carry a $300 or $30 wallet/handbag - the amount of money inside is the same;
Whether we drive a $150,000 car or a $30,000 car, the road and distance is the same, and we get to the same destination.
Whether we drink a bottle of $300 or $10 wine - the hangover is the same;
Whether the house we live in is 300 or 3000 sq ft - loneliness is the same.
You will realize, your true inner happiness does not come from the material things of this world.
Whether you fly first or economy class, if the plane goes down - you go down with it...
Therefore.. I hope you realize, when you have mates, buddies and old friends, brothers and sisters, who you chat with, laugh with, talk with, have sing songs with, talk about north-south-east-west or heaven and earth, .... That is true happiness!!
Five Undeniable Facts of Life :
1. Don't educate your children to be rich. Educate them to be Happy. So when they grow up they will know the value of things not the price.
2. Best awarded words in London ... "Eat your food as your medicines. Otherwise you have to eat medicines as your food."
3. The One who loves you will never leave you for another because even if there are 100 reasons to give up he or she will find one reason to hold on.
4. There is a big difference between a human being and being human.
Only a few really understand it.
5. You are loved when you are born. You will be loved when you die. In between, You have to manage!
NOTE: If you just want to Walk Fast, Walk Alone! But if you want to Walk Far, Walk Together!
Six Best Doctors in the World
1. Sunlight
2. Rest
3. Exercise
4. Diet
5. Self Confidence and
6. Friends
Maintain them in all stages of Life and enjoy a healthy life.Rapid Response for MONDAY through WEDNESDAY, June 18 through 20, 2018
"THE WORST HUMAN PAIN."
"The distress of a grieving parent has been described as the worst human pain".
So begins an excellent article on 'the paradox of a child's death", by John M. De Figueiredo, M.D., Sc.D., Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at Yale University School of Medicine.
It is worth reading in full, by parents who have experienced this tragedy, by people who may then be better able to console others, and especially by physicians and other health care professionals - whose own "compassion, encouragement, and dedication, when balanced with personal attributes such as optimism, imperturbability, and equanimity, appear to guide their intellect to overcome the worst human pain by appealing to both reason and imagination and fostering a union to something larger than themselves."
(Connecticut Medicine, June - July, 2018, Volume 82, Number 6, p377).
GS
Rapid Response for SATURDAY, June 23, 2018
DO YOU KNOW WHEN HUMAN LIFE BEGINS?
"Before I formed you in the womb I knew you,
before you were born I dedicated you, a prophet to the nations I appointed you".
Jeremiah 1:4-10.
"Hear me, O coastlands,
listen, O distant peoples.
The Lord called me from birth,
from my mother's womb he gave me my name."
Isaiah 49:1-6.
ANY QUESTIONS?
"NOW GO, AND SIN NO MORE".
GSRapid Response for FRIDAY, June 8, 2018
RR#1
REALLY...
GSThe Back Nine
I FIRST STARTED READING THIS EMAIL & WAS READING FAST UNTIL I REACHED THE THIRD SENTENCE. I STOPPED AND STARTED OVER READING SLOWER AND THINKING ABOUT EVERY WORD. THIS EMAIL IS VERY THOUGHT PROVOKING. MAKES YOU STOP AND THINK.
READ SLOWLY!
You know ... Time has a way of moving quickly and catching you unaware of the passing years. It seems just yesterday that I was young, just married and embarking on my new life with my mate. Yet in a way, it seems like eons ago, and I wonder where all the years went. I know that I lived them all. I have glimpses of how it was back then and of all my hopes and dreams.
But, here it is.. The back nine of my life and it catches me by surprise...How did I get here so fast? Where did the years go and where did my youth go?
I remember well seeing older people through the years and thinking that those older people were years away from me and that I was only on the first hole and the back nine was so far off that I could not fathom it or imagine fully what it would be like.
But, here it is...my friends are retired and getting grey...they move slower and I see an older person now. Some are in better and some worse shape than me...but, I see the great change....Not like the ones that I remember who were young and vibrant..but, like me, their age is beginning to show and we are now those older folks that we used to see and never thought we'd become.
Each day now, I find that just getting a shower is a real target for the day! And taking a nap is not a treat anymore... it's mandatory! Cause if I don't on my own free will... I just fall asleep where I sit!
And so...now I enter into this new season of my life unprepared for all the aches and pains and the loss of strength and ability to go and do things that I wish I had done but never did!! But, at least I know, that though I'm on the back nine, and I'm not sure how long it will last...this I know, that when it's over on this earth...it's over for here. A new and better adventure will begin!
Yes, I have regrets. There are things I wish I hadn't done...things I should have done, but indeed, there are many things I'm happy to have done.
It's all in a lifetime.
So, if you're not on the back nine yet...let me remind you, that it will be here faster than you think. So, whatever you would like to accomplish in your life please do it quickly! Don't put things off too long!! Life goes by quickly. So, do what you can today, as you can never be sure whether you're on the back nine or not!
You have no promise that you will see all the seasons of your life....so, live for today and say all the things that you want your loved ones to remember...and hope that they appreciate and love you for all the things that you have done for them in all the years past!!
"Life" is a gift to you. The way you live your life is your gift to those who come after. Make it a fantastic one.LIVE IT WELL! ENJOY TODAY! DO SOMETHING FUN! BE HAPPY ! HAVE A GREAT DAY ! Remember "It is health that is real wealth and not pieces of gold and silver.
LASTLY, CONSIDER THIS:
~Your kids are becoming you.......but your grandchildren are perfect!
~Going out is good.. Coming home is better!
~You forget names.... But it's OK because some people forgot they even knew you!!!
~You realize you're never going to be really good at anything like golf.
~The things you used to care to do, you aren't as interested in anymore, but you really don't care that you aren't as interested.
~You sleep better on a lounge chair with the TV 'ON' than in bed. It's called "pre-sleep".
~You miss the days when everything worked with just an "ON" and "OFF" switch..
~You tend to use more 4 letter words ... "what?"..."when?"... ???
~You notice everything they sell in stores is "sleeveless"?!!!
~What used to be freckles are now liver spots.
~Everybody whispers.
~You have 3 sizes of clothes in your closet.... 2 of which you will never wear.
~~~But Old is good in some things: Old Songs, Old movies, and best of all,OLD FRIENDS!!
Stay well, "OLD FRIEND!" Send this on to other "Old Friends!" and let them laugh in AGREEMENT!!! It's Not What You Gather, But What You Scatter That Tells What Kind Of Life You Have Lived.
TODAY IS THE OLDEST YOU'VE EVER BEEN; YET THE YOUNGEST YOU'LL EVER BE, SO ENJOY THIS DAY WHILE IT LASTS.Rapid Response for MONDAY through WEDNESDAY, June 4 through 6, 2018
REGARDING "END OF LIFE" DECISIONS, BY PATIENT, FAMILY AND PHYSICIAN.
Without dealing with the entire question, the main issues here are considerations of : 1) Patient Right of Self-Determination, articulated when mentally competent, and reduced to an "Advanced Directive", accompanied by a "Power of Attorney for Medical Care" in the hands of a trusted family member or friend; a treating physician's right and obligation regarding not providing "Futile Care; the patient or family right to have the patient's care transferred to a different and accepting physician.
The critical point here is to take action in timely fashion, before a crisis develops.
A recent discussion of the subject may be found in the National Catholic Register, June 10, 2018, by Brian Fraga.
GSRapid Response for TUESDAY and WEDNESDAY, April 10 and 11, 2018
EXACTLY!
Today's world is God's punishment for Abortion.
FREE WILL IS NOT FREE.
GSRapid Response for SATURDAY, March 31, 2018
HAPPY EASTER...NOW FROM A VERY HUMAN PERSPECTIVE.
Two articles in today's news draw attention to Life as it is today, after over 2,000 years of Jesus.
One is about the words of Pope Francis, laced with sadness, caution and also Hope and directed to peoples' Humanity and Free Will.
The other is an interview with David McCullough, arguably our time's greatest historian, emphasizing the lessons of History over "politics".
But the word "politics", from the Greek "politos", means "people".
And the author and philosopher Ralph Waldo Emerson made a very telling statement: "There is properly no History. There is only Biography".
The message here in considering the mean, craven and God-less times we now live in:
We are not "victims", bound by History and powerless before the Future.
We are persons "created in the image and likeness of God" and endowed with Free Will. What we do is what we choose to do; and the Outcome is Our Responsibility, and ours alone.
So: STOP WHINING, STOP WAITING...AND MAKE GOOD HAPPEN.
Create your own resurrection from the tomb in which we now find ourselves.
The Lord's own Resurrection has shown us that it can be done.
And ALWAYS HOPE.
GS
What’s Keeping David McCullough From Sleeping
Pope marks Good Friday amid tight security; urges people to rediscover shame
Rapid Response for WEDNESDAY, March 21, 2018
To LIFE!
Whether you believe in the hereafter or not, MAKE THIS ONE COUNT.
GS
SOME GREAT HEALTH ADVICE FROM MOTHER TERESA.
"The greatest disease in the West today is not TB or Leprosy; it is being unwanted, unloved, and uncared for. We can cure physical diseases with medicine, but the only cure for loneliness, despair and hopelessness is love. There are many in the world who are dying for a piece of bread, but there are many more dying for a little love. The poverty in the West is a different kind of poverty. It is not only a poverty of loneliness but also of spirituality. There's a hunger for love, as there is a hunger for God."
From "A Simple Path".
SO: REACH OUT AND CARE ABOUT, CARE FOR AND HUG SOMEONE.
GS
A BREACH IN MORALITY IS LIKE A SERIOUS CANCER.
It easily and diffusely metastasizes.
GSBoudewijn Chabot, “Worrisome Culture Shift in the Context of Self-Selected Death” (translation) - Trudolemmens.WordPress.comRapid Response for WEDNESDAY, June 7, 2017
"WHO DECIDES WHEN A PATIENT CAN'T? STATUTES ON ALTERNATE DECISION MAKERS".
New England Journal of Medicine, April 23, 2017, p1478.
A few facts:
1) About 50% of a patient's health care costs are incurred in the last 6 months of his/her life.
2) Over 70% of people agree with the desirability of having a "Living Will / Advanced Directive" and a designated Health Care Advocate.
3) Only about 20% of people actually have taken these actions while they still can.
IF YOU WANT THE ABILITY, AT SOME POINT, TO SAY "STOP THE WORLD; I WANT TO GET OFF", YOU HAD BETTER GET OFF YOUR BUTT NOW!
GSRapid Response for FRIDAY, January 6, 2017
RR#1
FORGET THE "BUCKET LIST" AND THE BUCKET.
Empty it now - and keep it empty!
GSAND THEN IT IS WINTER....
THIS IS RIGHT ON THE NOSE. .......READ IT SLOWLY... I DON'T KNOW WHO WROTE IT, BUT I AM GUESSING IT WAS A SENIOR!!! I FIRST STARTED READING THIS EMAIL & WAS READING FAST UNTIL I REACHED THE THIRD SENTENCE. I STOPPED AND STARTED OVER READING SLOWER AND THINKING ABOUT EVERY WORD. THIS EMAIL IS VERY THOUGHT-PROVOKING. MAKES YOU STOP AND THINK.
AND THEN IT IS WINTER
You know. . . time has a way of moving quickly and catching you unaware of the passing years.
It seems just yesterday that I was young, and embarking on my new life. Yet in a way, it seems like eons ago, and I wonder where all the years went. I know that I lived them all. I have glimpses of how it was back then and of all my hopes and dreams. But, here it is... the winter of my life and it catches me by surprise...How did I get here so fast? Where did the years go and where did my youth go?
I remember well seeing older people through the years and thinking that those older people were years away from me and that winter was so far off that I could not fathom it or imagine fully what it would be like. But, here it is...my friends are retired and getting grey...they move slower and I see an older person now. Some are in better and some worse shape than me...but, I see the great change...Not like the ones that I remember who were young and vibrant...but, like me, their age is beginning to show and we are now those older folks that we used to see and never thought we'd be.
Each day now, I find that just getting a shower is a real target for the day! And taking a nap is not a treat anymore... it's mandatory! Cause if I don't on my own free will... I just fall asleep where I sit!
And so...now I enter into this new season of my life unprepared for all the aches and pains and the loss of strength and ability to go and do things that I wish I had done but never did!
But, at least I know, that though the winter has come, and I'm not sure how long it will last...this I know, that when it's over on this earth...it's NOT over. A new adventure will begin!
Yes, I have regrets. There are things I wish I hadn't done...things I should have done, but indeed, there are many things I'm happy to have done. It's all in a lifetime.
So, if you're not in your winter yet...let me remind you, that it will be here faster than you think. So, whatever you would like to accomplish in your life please do it quickly! Don't put things off too long!
Life goes by quickly. So, do what you can today, as you can never be sure whether this is your winter or not! You have no promise that you will see all the seasons of your life...so, live for today and say all the things that you want your loved ones to remember...and hope that they appreciate and love you for all the things that you have done for them in all the years past!
"Life" is a gift to you. The way you live your life is your gift to those who come after. Make it a fantastic one.
LIVE IT WELL! ENJOY TODAY! DO SOMETHING FUN! BE HAPPY! HAVE A GREAT DAY!
REMEMBER:....
"It is health that is real wealth and not pieces of gold and silver.
"LIVE HAPPY IN THIS YEAR AND EVERY YEAR!
LASTLY, CONSIDER THE FOLLOWING:
TODAY IS THE OLDEST YOU'VE EVER BEEN, YET THE YOUNGEST YOU'LL EVER BE SO - ENJOY THIS DAY WHILE IT LASTS.
~Your kids are becoming you......
~Going out is good.. Coming home is better!
~You forget names.... But it's OK because other people forgot they even knew you!!!
~You realize you're never going to be really good at anything.... especially golf.
~The things you used to care to do, you no longer care to do, but you really do care that you don't care to do them anymore.
~You sleep better on a lounge chair with the TV blaring than in bed. It's called "pre-sleep".
~You miss the days when everything worked with just an "ON" and "OFF" switch.
~You tend to use more 4 letter words ... "what?".."when?"... "what?" . ???
~Now that you can afford expensive jewelry, it's not safe to wear it anywhere.
~You notice everything they sell in stores is "sleeveless"?!!!
~What used to be freckles are now liver spots.
~Everybody whispers.
~You have 3 sizes of clothes in your closet.... 2 of which you will never wear.
~But Old is good in some things: Old Songs, Old movies, and best of all, OLD FRIENDS!!
Stay well, "OLD FRIEND.
It's Not What You Gather, But What You Scatter That Tells What Kind Of Life You Have Lived.
Pope at Audience: ‘Tears Can Generate Hope’ - Zenit.Org
Grief in Many Disguises - PsychCongress.Com
Pope Says He Keeps Track of Death Anniversaries as Reminder Time Is Passing - Zenit.Org
Pope’s new point man on life muses about death - CruxNow.Com
Rapid Response for SATURDAY, August 22, 2015
ON ABORTION AND EUTHANASIA: 'Can You Hear Me Now?"
GS
Rapid Response for THURSDAY, August 6, 2015
FROM THE BEGINNING OF HUMAN LIFE AT CONCEPTION TO ITS END, IS THIS THE OTHER "SILENT HOLOCAUST"?
GS
Rapid Response for SUNDAY, June 14, 2015
Rapid Response for SATURDAY, March 28, 2015
NOW FOR A BRIEF BUT VITAL PHILOSOPHIC INTERLUDE:
"LIFE IS NOT A JOURNEY TO THE GRAVE
WITH THE INTENTION OF ARRIVING SAFELY
IN A PRETTY AND WELL PRESERVED BODY,
BUT RATHER TO SKID IN BROADSIDE,
THOROUGHLY USED UP, TOTALLY WORN OUT,
AND LOUDLY PROCLAIMING:
'WOW! WHAT A RIDE'"
(author unknown, but very wise)
Rapid Response for TUESDAY, March 3, 2015
A very large percentage of health care takes place in the last 6 months of a person's life. Is that what you want?
GS
Rapid Response for SUNDAY, December 22, 2013
A BOOK REVIEW:
"Proof of Heaven: A Neurosurgeon's Journey Into The Afterlife", by Eben Alexander, M.D., Simon and Schuster, 2012.
Herein is proof that Dr. Alexander experienced what he describes in great detail. Here is evidence that many others have had similar experiences, all related to the innate and generally unreachable powers of our brains. Here are demonstrations that such experiences can make believers in the Spirit out of the most barnacled among us.
But it is NOT "proof of Heaven". That reality will have to await the culmination of what we were taught in first grade by the Nuns: that life should be all about Faith, Hope and Charity. Faith that there is One Supreme Being creating and embracing all; Hope that each of us, individually, is held within that embrace; and Charity as our means of realizing that Hope.
MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HEALTHY NEW YEAR.
GS
Hubble Telescope, GS
For our analysis and discussion of many current ethical issues facing us, individually and as a society,
please refer to the offerings entitled "Point and Counterpoint", GS
The following is a recently published book that advances the basic premise of this section:"SPIRITUALITY IN PATIENT CARE: WHY, HOW, WHEN, AND WHAT", by Harold G. Koenig, 2nd edition, Templeton Foundation Press, 2007. ISBN-13:978-1-5994-7116-7.GS
- "Although many health professionals are uncomfortable with anyone other than a chaplain or clergyperson performing a spiritual history and assessment of a patient, the Joint Commission for the Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations requires that a spiritual assessment be made for each patient admitted to an acute care hospital or a nursing home or seen by a home health agency. Furthermore, this spiritual assessment must be documented in the medical rercord." (from "Book and Media Reviews", JAMA, April 2, 2008, Vol 299, No. 13).
- Another resource on this subject has recently come to my attention and is worth reviewing: "The Role of Spirituality in Health and Mental Health", by Alice Yick Flanagan, PhD, MSW; in CME Resource, Sacramento, California (800-232-4238); Course #9197, 2008.
Rapid Response Posting for January 11, 2009, GS
Regarding "When Jesus Came To Harvard: making moral choices today", GS
St. Paul, the Apostle: The mortar for St. Peter's "Rock", GS
Spirituality, GS
There
was a young woman who had been diagnosed with a terminal illness
and had been given three months to live. So, as she was getting her
things 'in
order,' she contacted her Pastor and had him come to her house to
discuss
certain aspects of her final wishes.
She told him which songs she wanted sung at the service, what
scriptures she
would like read, and what outfit she wanted to be buried in.
Everything was in order and the Pastor was preparing to leave when the
young
woman suddenly remembered something very important to her.
'There's one more thing,' she said excitedly..'
'What's that?' came the Pastor's reply.
'This is very important,' the young woman continued. 'I want to be
buried with
a fork in my right hand.'
The Pastor stood looking at the young woman, not knowing quite what to
say.
'That surprises you, doesn't it?' the young woman asked.
'Well, to be honest, I'm puzzled by the request,' said the Pastor.
The young woman explained. 'My grandmother once told me this story, and
from that
time on I have always tried to pass along its message to those I love
and those
who are in need of encouragement. In all my years of attending socials
and
dinners, I always remember that when the dishes of the main course were
being
cleared, someone would inevitably lean over and say, 'Keep your fork.'
It was
my favorite part because I knew that something better was coming...like
velvety
chocolate cake or deep-dish apple pie. Something wonderful, and with
substance!'
So, I just want people to see me there in that casket with a fork in my
hand
and I want them to wonder, 'What's with the fork?' Then I want you to
tell
them: 'Keep your fork...the best is yet to come.'
The Pastor's eyes welled up with tears of joy as he hugged the young
woman
good-bye. He knew this would be one of the last times he would see her
before
her death. But he also knew that the young woman had a better grasp of
heaven
than he did. She had a better grasp of what heaven would be like than
many
people twice her age, with twice as much experience and knowledge. She
KNEW
that something better was coming.
At the funeral people were walking by the young woman's casket and they saw
the cloak she was
wearing and the fork placed in her right hand. Over and over, the
Pastor heard
the question, 'What's with the fork?' And over and over he smiled.
During his message, the Pastor told the people of the conversation he
had with
the young woman shortly before she died. He also told them about the
fork and
about what it symbolized to her. He told the people how he could not
stop
thinking about the fork and told them that they probably would not be
able to
stop thinking about it either.
He was right. So the next time you reach down for your fork let it
remind you,
ever so gently, that the best is yet to come. Friends
are a very rare
jewel . They make
you smile and
encourage you to succeed. Cherish
the time you have, and the
memories you share. Being
friends with someone
is not an opportunity, but a sweet responsibility.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
A NICE STORY...NEVER OLD.
A
little girl went to her bedroom and pulled a
glass jelly jar from its hiding place in the closet.
She
poured the change out on the floor and
counted it carefully. Three
times, even.. The total had to be exactly perfect... No chance here for
mistakes..
Carefully
placing the coins back in the jar
and twisting on the cap, she
slipped out the back door and made her way 6 blocks to Rexall's Drug
Store with
the big red Indian Chief sign above the door.
She
waited patiently for the pharmacist to
give her some attention, but he was too busy at this moment.
Tess
twisted her feet to make a scuffing
noise. Nothing. She cleared her throat
with the most disgusting sound she could muster. No good. Finally she
took a
quarter from her jar and banged it on the glass counter.. That did it!
'And
what do you want?' the pharmacist asked
in an annoyed tone of
voice. I'm talking to my brother from Chicago whom I haven't seen in
ages,' he
said without waiting for a reply to his question.
'Well,
I want to talk
to you about my brother,' Tess answered back in the same annoyed tone..
'He's
really, really sick....and I want to buy a miracle.'
'I
beg your pardon?' said the pharmacist.
'His
name is Andrew and he has something bad
growing inside his head and my Daddy says only a miracle can save him
now. So
how much does a miracle cost?'
'We
don't sell miracles here, little
girl. I'm sorry but I can't help you,' the pharmacist said,
softening a
little.
'Listen,
I have the money to pay for it. If it
isn't enough, I will get the rest. Just tell me how much it costs.'
The
pharmacist's brother was a well dressed
man. He stooped down and asked the little girl, 'What kind of a miracle
does
your brother need?'
'
I don't know,' Tess replied with her eyes
welling up. I just know he's really sick and Mommy says he needs an
operation.
But my Daddy can't pay for it, so I want to use my money..'
'How
much do you have?' asked the man
from Chicago .
'One
dollar and eleven cents,' Tess answered
barely audible.
'And it's all the money I have, but I can get some more if I need to.'
'Well,
what a coincidence,' smiled the man. 'A
dollar and eleven cents---the exact price of a miracle for little
brothers.'
He
took her money in one hand and with the
other hand he grasped her mitten and said 'Take me to where you live. I
want to
see your brother and meet your parents. Let's see if I have the miracle
you
need.'
That
well-dressed man was Dr. Carlton
Armstrong, a surgeon,
specializing in neuro-surgery. The operation was completed free of
charge and
it
wasn't long until Andrew was home again and doing well.
Mom
and Dad were happily talking about the
chain of events that had led them to this place.
'That
surgery,' her Mom whispered.. 'was a
real miracle. I wonder how much it would have cost?'
Tess
smiled. She knew exactly how much a
miracle cost...one dollar and eleven cents...plus the faith of a little
child.
In
our lives, we never know how many miracles
we will need.
A miracle is not the suspension of natural law, but the operation of a
higher
law.
I
know you'll keep the ball moving!
Here
it goes. Throw it back to someone who
means something to you!
A
ball is a circle, no beginning, no end. It
keeps us together like our Circle of Friends. But the treasure inside
for you
to see is the treasure of friendship you've granted to me.
Today
I pass the friendship ball to you.
Pass
it on to someone who is a friend to you.
MY
OATH TO YOU...
When you are sad.....I will dry your tears.
When you are scared.....I will comfort your fears.
When you are worried.......I will give you hope.
When you are confused......I will help you cope.
And when you are lost...and can't see the light, I
shall be your beacon...shining ever so bright.
This is my oath.....I pledge till the end.
Why you may ask?....Because you're my friend.
PEACE. GS
Father Cantalamessa on Calming the Storm, ZENIT News AgencyDocument Deals With "Family and Procreation"; Echoes Teachings of "Humanae Vitae", ZENIT News Agency
Some of the mysteries of Fatima now revealed..., ZENIT News Agency
The Longer You Look, The More You See", Unknown
Pastor's Prayer, Joe Wright"Love", Various
Bioethical Principles of Medical Practice Provided by the Linacre Institute of the Catholic Medical Association"Here's a useful prescription from our Holy Father on how to deal with this materialistic 'mad, mad, world'."
Pope Warns Catholics Against Risks of Accumulating Material RichesFamous Prayer, Reinhold Niebuhr
“Hope", Father James Keller, M.M.
“WHEN WE WALK WITH JESUS, WE NEVER WALK ALONE,”
Homily by Rev. Joseph Castaldi, Pastor of St. Joseph Parish, New London, CT, Sunday, July 6, 2003The $20 Bill, Unknown
"Care for the Spirit," from Hospice of Southeastern Connecticut
HOW TO PLANT YOUR GARDEN FOR DAILY LIVING, (Author Unknown)
1) Plant three rows of peas: peace of mind, of heart and of soul."Life, long or short,
2) Plant four rows of squash: squash gossip, indifference, grumbling, selfishness.
3) Plant four rows of lettuce: lettuce be faithful, be kind, be patient, really love one another.
4) Plant turnips: turnip for meetings, for service, to help one another.
5) Plant Thyme: thyme for each other, for family, for friends.Water freely with patience and cultivate with love. There is much fruit in your garden! You reap what you sow.
Is a journey towards Paradise;
There is our fatherland,
There is our real home;
There is our appointment!
Jesus is waiting for us
In Paradise!
Never forget this supreme
and consoling truth."
Pope John Paul 11 (June 14, 1979)
"We have just enough religion to make us hate, but not enough to make us love another."
Jonathan Swift, "Thoughts on Various Subjects", from "Miscellanies" (1711)
"Men never do evil so completely and cheerfully as when they do it from religious conviction."
Blaise Pascal, Pensees, No. 894 (1670)
"I have learned...toleration from the intolerant, and kindness from the unkind; yet strange I am ungrateful to those teachers."
Kahlil Gibran, "Sand and Foam" (1926)
The following is a thought from Ronald Reagan:
"A young man whose father is a carpenter grows up working in his father's shop. He has no formal education. He owns no property of any kind. One day he puts down his tools and walks out of his father's shop. He starts preaching on street corners and in the nearby countryside. Walking from place to place preaching all the while even though he is in no way an ordained minister he never gets farther than an area perhaps 100 miles wide at the most. He does this for three years. Then he is arrested, tried and convicted. There is no court of appeal so he is executed at age 33 along with two common thieves. Those in charge of his execution roll dice to see who gets his clothing -- the only possessions he has. His family cannot afford a burial place so he is interred in a borrowed tomb. End of story?No, this uneducated, propertyless young man who preached on street corners for only three years who left no written word has for 2000 years had a greater effect on the entire world than all the rulers, kings and emperors, all the conquerors, the generals and admirals, all the scholars, scientists and philosophers who ever lived -- all put together. How do we explain that?
...Unless he really was what he said he was."
The following is a reading from "Toilers of the Sea," by Victor Hugo:"I am standing upon that foreshore. A ship at my side spreads her white sails to the morning breeze and starts for the blue ocean. She is an object of beauty and strength, and I stand and watch her until at length she hangs like a speck of white cloud just where the sea and sky come down to mingle with each other. Then someone at my side says "There! She's gone!" "Gone where?" "Gone from my sight, that's all." She is just as large in mast and spar and hull as ever she was when she left my side; just as able to bear her load of living freight to the place of her destination. Her diminished size is in me, not in her. And just at that moment when someone at my side says "There! She's gone!" there are other eyes watching her coming and other voices ready to take up the glad shout "Here she comes!" And that is dying."REMEMBERINGGo ahead and mention my child,
The one that died, you know.
Don't worry about hurting me further.
The depth of my pain doesn't show.
Don't worry about making me cry.
I'm already crying inside.
Help me to heal by releasing
The tears that I try to hide.
I'm hurt when you just keep silent,
Pretending he didn't exist.
I'd rather you mention my child,
Knowing that he has been missed.
You asked me how I was doing.
I say "pretty good" or "fine".
But healing is something ongoing.
I feel it will take a lifetime.AMEN
A thought to live by:"God does not call us to do great things, but to do small things with great love."
Mother Teresa (1901 - 1997)
A Promise:"Do not let your hearts be troubled. Believe in God, Believe also in me. In my Father's house there are many dwelling places. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, so that where I am, there you may be also. And you know the way to the place where I am going." Thomas said to Him, "Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?" Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."
John 14:1-6