.png)
What if you have an ugly, storied past like me? One that's full of awful sins and very bad decisions? What if you were the type of person who covered it well, or somewhat well? What if most people never knew all the terrible sins you committed? What if you think of yourself as damaged goods, the worst sinner, or beyond help? You may say to me, "No, Amy, you're the Catholic Pilgrim, you're just exaggerating your past. It couldn't be that bad." Well, it really was. Old Amy and Today Amy are like night and day. So, what gives? One thing that big 'ole sinners like to do is find some twisted victory in their sins. "Oh, I'm just too bad. Oh, God could never heal me. Oh, I'm beyond repair." There is no trophy for greatest sinner, yet a lot of people compete for it. Too many people want to see themselves as the one person that God couldn't possibly heal. Which is nonsense. Utter nonsense. Your sins don't make you unique or special. You are not bigger than God. So, you have two options: 1. Continue to wallow and lick your wounds forever hoping that your spit eventually will make you feel better. Or 2. Bring it all to Christ and let Him do what He does best--restore, heal, and cleanse. I was only ever beyond repair when I refused to let Christ in. Once I did, and surrendered to Him, trusting in His mercy and love, did things start to turn around. It didn't happen overnight and it was painful to be sure. I know now that everyday I need God to help me and give me the graces to keep moving in the right direction, which is towards Him. We all need Him, Catholic Pilgrims. Live the Faith boldly and travel well this Monday.
Continue Reading"The land of Zebulun and land of Naphtali, the way to the sea..." One of my biggest pet peeves is when someone says to me, "Yeah, but we all believe in Jesus so that's the most important thing." This is usually said by a Protestant and as a former Protestant, it just irritates me to no end. While it is important to believe in Jesus, it is, also, of upmost importance that we follow what He wants and He most certainly does not want fractures in Christianity. He prayed that we all might be one, not divided up in different denominations all claiming that the Holy Spirit has led them to the truth. I would categorize it as blasphemy to claim that the Holy Spirit gives different truths to different people. It's silly but if you ask Alexa who founded the Catholic Church, she says, "Jesus Christ" If you ask her about Protestant denominations, she'll list off their human founders: Martin Luther, John Calvin, John Wesley, etc. This is exactly what St. Paul warns against in our second reading today from 1 Corinthians 1:10-13, 17. "I urge you, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree in what you say, and that there be no divisions among you. It has be reported to e about you, that there are rivalries among you. Each of you saying, 'I belong to Paul,' or 'I belong to Apollos,' or 'I belong to Cephas.' Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you?" No, Christ never, ever intended us to be divided. He wanted us to be one, belonging to the Church He founded on Peter that was to last to the end of time. All these divisions are the result of pride and pride alone. "I know better," said the founder of each split off that you see as you drive around and move through life. The claim is: "The Holy Spirit has shown me the right way." Except the Holy Spirit is not in the business of giving different truths to different people. He is God and therefore that is impossible. Christ gave the keys to Peter and said "on this rock I will build my church" and He promised that the "gates of Hell will not prevail." Members of the Catholic Church are not perfect, Catholic Pilgrims, but that Founder of our Church is and that's what has held it for nearly 2000 years. This is nothing to feel prode over, but instead humble gratitude. Have a blessed Sunday. *Picture is of the Sea of Galilee
Continue ReadingToday is a day of prayer for the legal protection of unborn children. As many of you know, I got pregnant out of wedlock with my oldest in my senior year of college. When I went to confirm the pregnancy at the clinic on campus, the first and only piece of advice the nurse gave me was to get rid of my baby because she would ruin my chance at a career. No support, no compassion, nothing but the offer to kill my child. She's sitting right next to me on my right side in this picture. Our culture likes to pretend that women have this inherent right to choice. A choice to do what? End their child's life. People sometimes congratulate me for "choosing life" for my daughter. While I appreciate the intention behind the praise, it's a false assumption that I ever really had a choice to begin with. Nobody has a the right to choose to end an innocent life. Nobody has that right, especially not women whose bodies are specifically designed to grow new life in their wombs. Who does have a right, that too many neglect to see or acknowledge, are unborn children. They have a right to live and not be killed. They are dependent on their mother's body, but as any mother will tell you, even after a child is born, they are still utterly dependent on their mother's body to care for them. There has and never will be a right to choose death for unborn babies. It is a fever dream that anti-children people have cooked up in their minds and this make-believe right has resulted in over 50,000,000 babies having their lives snuffed out--and that's just in the US. So, today, we pray for the protection of these little ones who have no voice of their own. So, let us pray, Catholic Pilgrims, for an end to abortion in our country and in our world. Live the Faith boldly and travel well this Thursday.
Continue Reading.png)
.png)
.png)