Thank you, Lord, for the blessing of those who serve in various aspects of youth ministry.
31 January 2021
Thank You, Lord
Msgr. Pope on the Message of the Letter to the Hebrews
"This week in daily Mass, we are reading from The Letter to the Hebrews, one of the most underappreciated books of the New Testament. It has long been one of my favorites from which to teach; in it we are summoned to faith in Jesus, our Savior and Great High Priest."
In a recent commentary, Monsignor Charles Pope (pastor of Holy Comforter-Saint Cyprian Parish,
Washington, DC) reflected on how, although it is easy to be distracted by modern ideas and urgent matters and to forsake the message of Jesus, the Letter to the Hebrews teaches us that He deserves our highest loyalty and that we should put our trust in Him
To access Msgr. Pope's complete post, please visit:
Community in Mission: The Message of the Letter to the Hebrews (28 JAN 21)
Reflection Starter from Pope Francis
"When we read the Gospel by ourselves with an open heart, a little of its light and beneficial power always reaches us, enlightening, healing, consoling. - Pope Francis
30 January 2021
André Rieu and Heino: "Rosamunde"
As this blessed week draws to a close, I offer this version of André Rieu, the Johann Strauss Orchestra, and Heino presenting "Rosamunde":
On a Knoxville Teen Helping Community by Starting Nonprofit and Other Topics
A number of articles/posts have recently been published on a variety of subjects worth considering.
To access some of these, please visit:
WGNO-TV: SOUL to plant a tree in front of every home in Pontchartrain Park (11 JAN 21)
WATE-TV: Teen helping community by starting nonprofit, Terry's Give Back Organization (11 JAN 21)
The History Channel: The Deadliest Events in US History
Governing Magazine: Jaywalking and the Dilemma of 'Victimless' Crimes (January 2021)
Thank You, Lord
Thank you, Lord, for the blessings You have bestowed on the United States and for the many ways You encourage us to be good stewards of these blessings.
Archbishop Charles Chaput, O.F.M. Cap., on Not Being Silent
"In 1787, at the age of eighty-one, Benjamin Franklin addressed the Constitutional Convention: 'I have lived, Sir, a long time, and the longer I live, the more convincing proofs I see of this truth: that God governs in the affairs of men. And if a sparrow cannot fall to the ground without his notice, is it probable that an empire can rise without his aid? We have been assured, Sir, in the sacred writings, that "except the Lord build the House, they labor in vain that build it." I firmly believe this; and I also believe that without his concurring aid, we shall succeed in this political building no better than the builders of Babel: We shall be divided by our little, partial, local interests, our projects will be confounded, and we ourselves shall become a reproach and byword down to future ages.'
"What he said is still true. As a nation, the United States is built on a religious anthropology. It presumes a moral architecture shaped deeply by biblical thought and belief.
"Yes, Franklin was a Deist, and he's better known for his romantic escapades than for his religious piety. It's also true that classical and Enlightenment ideas played an important role in the founding. But the Enlightenment itself is inconceivable outside the Christian culture from which it emerged, and from which it borrowed its moral vocabulary.
"What we believe - or don't believe - about God profoundly shapes what we
believe about the nature of the human person and the purpose of human
society. It follows that the more we remove God from our public life,
the more we remove the moral vocabulary that gives our public
institutions meaning. The more secularized we become, the more we
undermine the common good and the more we feed the problems that are
hurting us as a nation."
In a 2014 commentary that is still worthy of consideration, Charles J. Chaput, O.F.M. Cap., Archbishop (now Emeritus) of Philadelphia, reflected on how the ideals of the United States are "incoherent and unsustainable without their religious grounding" and how, as "we lose that grounding, our problems become worse."
To access complete article, please visit:
First Things: We Can't Be Silent by Charles J. Chaput (May 2014)
Reflection Starter from Woodrow Wilson
"The world is becoming more complicated every day, my fellow citizens. No man ought to be foolish enough to think that he understands it all. And, therefore, I am glad that there are some simple things in the world. One of the simple things is principle. Honesty is a perfectly simple thing. " - Woodrow Wilson (in a Presidential Address, 4 July 1914, at Independence Hall, Philadelphia, PA)
29 January 2021
On 'Little Free Pantries' Popping Up in Vermont, Hoodsie Cups, and Other New England-related Topics
A number of articles/posts have recently been published on a variety of New England-related subjects worth considering.
To access some of these, please visit:
Rutland (VT) Herald: 'Little Free Pantries' to pop up around Rutland (18 JAN 21)
Concord Monitor: Student's idea to help homeless becomes a reality in Laconia (19 JAN 21)
The Bristol (CT) Press: Bristol resident wins History Channel's 'Forged in Fire' (15 JAN 21)
New England Today: Prized Cup | Up Close with the Hoodsie Cup (3 DEC 20)
Only In Your State: These Bizarre Rhode Island Facts Prove The Ocean State Is Unique
On a Massachusetts Teen Bringing Birthday Parties to Needy Children
"It started with one cake made from scratch and gifts bought with her babysitting money. Now Hannah Finn's One Wish Project is on the way to providing happy birthdays to more than 250 children.
"From its
humble beginning with that single cake, the project is embarking on
making birthdays special this year for hundreds of kids identified by
the state Department of Children and Families and the Greater Lawrence
Community Action Council, Finn said."
An Eagle-Tribune article recently reported on Hannah Finn's ministry in the Lawrence, MA, area.
To access this Eagle-Tribune report on this ministry, please visit:
Background information:
Jesse Lyn Stoner on Resolving the Roots of Disagreement
"Most disagreements are due to differing interpretations of the facts. For example, John's glass vase was broken when Carlos dropped it. This is an objective fact - an event that occurred. John is angry because he believes Carlos did it on purpose. John's interpretation of the event (that Carlos did it on purpose) is what creates meaning and emotion. If Carlos says it was an accident and John believes him, then John's interpretation will change and so might his anger.
"However, if John believes Carlos dropped the glass vase on purpose, and Carlos says he never touched the vase, then it's not an issue of different interpretations - they are in disagreement on the facts themselves. And their conversation must focus first on agreeing on the facts.
"What happens if instead of clarifying the facts, John tells his friends that Carlos dropped the vase on purpose? If John's friends simply believe him without verifying the facts, they may have accepted false information as fact. At this point, things get very complicated and almost impossible to resolve."
In a recent commentary, Jesse Lyn Stoner, founder of Seapoint Center, reflected on some of the ways one may use critical thinking and draw his/her own conclusions based on facts he/she has verified.
To access Ms. Stoner's complete post, please visit:
'9 Days for Life' Novena - Day 9 (29 January)
Today is the ninth day of the '9 Days for Life' Novena for the Protection of Human Life:
Intercession: "May all who defend life find strength and renewal in the Holy Spirit."
Prayers: Our Father, 3 Hail Marys, Glory Be
Reflection:
"God has carefully, tenderly created every person in His own image and likeness, to be in a loving relationship with Himself. From each tiny child knit within a mother’s womb, to every person approaching death, all are loved perfectly and completely by God: 'It is therefore a service of love which we are all committed to ensure to our neighbor, that his or her life may be always defended and promoted, especially when it is weak or threatened [emphasis added]' (Evangelium vitae 77.
"In a world in which those who are most vulnerable are so often overlooked and disregarded, Christ calls us to embrace and uphold the unconditional dignity of every human life. In answering this call, we help to build 'a new culture of life, the fruit of the culture of truth and of love' (EV 77). May the Holy Spirit continually renew us as we strive to faithfully defend God's gift of life."
Acts of Reparation (Choose one.)
- Do you love your cup of tea or coffee? Abstain from caffeine today, or try your coffee black.
- "Unplug" for some time, and reflect on how God may be asking you to help build a culture of life in your home, workplace, or Church community.
- Offer some other sacrifice, prayer, or act of penance that you feel called to do for today's intention.
One Step Further:
Watching the news and reading headlines, we may often feel helpless in the face of heartbreaking lack of respect for human life. When our efforts to make a difference feel small, it's important to remember that changing the culture is a process of conversion that begins in our own hearts. It includes a willingness to be instructed by the Holy Spirit and a desire to be close to Jesus - the source of joy and love. How to Build a Culture of Life briefly explains where to start.
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