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There are many that have been deceived into thinking that we can "knock on the door" and get whatever we wish for. Money Health The perfect spouse Perfect children That dream vacation We want to knock, ask for said thing, and expect it to--POOF--be granted to us. I once knocked, begging the Lord to give me something, and the response I heard deep in my heart was, "I'm saving you from something." I didn't understand it at the time, but I did years later. I was being saved from my ungrateful, selfish heart. What I needed to knock and ask for was faith and hope. We often read this passage from Luke 11 about knocking and receiving without noticing verse 13. Jesus tells us what we are to ask for--The Holy Spirit. If we ask--truly ask for the Holy Spirit to come to us, we will never be denied--ever. And what does the Holy Spirit bring with Him? The Seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit, which are wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety, and fear of the Lord. He brings into your soul the virtues of Faith, Hope, and Charity. He, also, brings grace which is the Divine Life dwelling within us. These gifts will allow us to find The Way, the only way that will satisfy the longings of our hearts. If you are lost, lonely, hurt, confused, desperate, or unhappy, knock and ask for the Holy Spirit to come and aid you, Catholic Pilgrims. We will never be denied. Have a blessed Sunday.
Yesterday, I went on YouTube to finish watching a video I’d started from Bishop Robert Barron. As I was finding it, another video was suggested to me with a title that said, “Bishop Robert Barron: Stop Wearing This To Mass—It’s a Serious Sin.” It was just an audio recording. I thought, “Huh, that’s weird. Bishop Barron doesn’t use titles like that.” Curious, I pushed play and immediately knew it wasn’t really him. I’ve been listening to Bishop Barron for years. Every Sunday, I listen to his homily and I know the cadence of his voice, the way he pauses, and even how he takes hard swallows. This recording has none of that. Sure, it sounded like his voice, but I knew it wasn’t him. So, I looked at the show notes and there was a disclaimer that said that “This isn’t actually Bishop Barron but the messaging is like what he would say.” (Paraphrasing) I knew it! It was a stupid AI mimic of him and all the people in the comments were fooled into believing it was actually him. I was livid. You know what else is a serious sin? Using people’s names and voice-likeness to make recordings that get you thousands of likes and views so you make money off of them. I wrote as much in the comments. As a creative person, I absolutely 💯 percent hate AI. And if you are here to talk me into it, save your breath because I will not be convinced. AI destroys our humanity and it really destroys art in any form—writing, music, painting. I work very hard to make content that is meaningful and captures who I am. I use pictures my family takes, I write my own stuff. It’s all coming from my mind. It is deplorable when people use AI to make money off other people’s hard work and use their name to generate interest because they are too lazy to build or make their own content. Just burns me up. I don’t wanna see your AI generated cartoon-y Lisa Frank circa 1989 picture of Mary and Jesus that took all of five seconds to make. I wanna see art that a person put time, effort, and their SOUL into. Be watchful, Catholic Pilgrims, and support people who actually try and produce their own stuff. God did not create us to be surrounded by trash made by a soulless robot. Live the Faith boldly and travel well.
When was the last time you fretted about something and it didn’t come to pass? The honest truth is that I fret about a lot of things and most of those things never happen AND I can’t even tell you what I was stressing over. Now, obviously, bad things happen, but quite a lot of what stresses us out never materializes. Yet we are encouraged to freak, freak, freak. Be angry, be angry, be angry. Lose hope, lose hope, lose hope. In reading the Gospel today on the sower and the seeds, I realized that the thorns are those things that choke out our hope and faith. The thorns start to creep into our lives when we lose our sense of humor, see everything with a pessimistic attitude, and grumble and gripe pretty consistently. The thorns choke out laughter, gratitude, and hope. We should definitely be aware of the things that are happening in the world that pose a threat, but if we only look out at the world through our prison of thorns, our faith in God will die. Make sure to keep the thorns at bay, Catholic Pilgrims, or you will be too bitter to make positive change in your life and your community. Live the Faith boldly and travel well this Wednesday.
Have you ever noticed how inconsolable you are when you are miserable? We can be miserable for a number of reasons: sickness, sadness, bitterness, or disappointment. We tend to wrap up in ourselves and we refuse help. Mary Magdalene was so distraught, understandably so, at finding Jesus’ tomb empty that she couldn’t appreciate the appearance of two angels. She couldn’t even recognize Jesus when He was right in front of her. She was so utterly consumed with grief that she couldn’t see Jesus—Goodness Itself—standing in front of her. Jesus had to forcefully say her name in order to shake her from her misery. There are certainly times when it is completely appropriate and understandable to be sad, distraught, depressed, or angry. What we can’t do, though, is allow these feelings to “potentially become a self-centeredness” that blinds us to goodness, beauty, redemption, and healing. Mary Magdalene had been at the foot of the Cross and was devastated by what she saw. I know she felt miserable that morning when she went to the tomb. For a brief period of time that misery blinded her from seeing Jesus. Thankfully, she snapped out of it and was witness to the greatest miracle the world has ever known—The Resurrected Christ. Have a blessed Tuesday, Catholic Pilgrims. St. Mary Magdalene, pray for us! *Statues of Christ and Mary Magdalene are found at Mission Santa Barbara
I have a funny quirk about me: The only time I feel like I can read a book is either very early in the morning or late at night once I'm in bed. Also, it's no problem for me while I'm teaching my kids for school. Between the hours of 7:30 am and 9:00 pm., I simply cannot convince myself to sit down and just read. The reason is that I feel I should be doing something. Reading seems so inactive and a waste of time during the daylight hours. Now, logically, I know it's not a waste of time and I know it's not just sitting idly by, but there is so much Martha in me that I struggle to see it any other way. To make matters worse, there are numerous times when I feel prompted--even pushed--to go sit and read Scripture during the afternoon and I won't. My son will be out playing, the house is quiet, and I have time to sit with God and His Word and I'll pass because I feel that to sit is beneath me. Now, if I'm writing something or engaging in research for something, I'll open the Bible, but that feels like "work" and so I deem it okay to read then. It's a ridiculous notion, I know. I've been this way since I can remember. I've always been a busy beaver moving about, doing this, doing that. I value my prayer time in the morning, so I understand and know how needed it is. But, what I need to learn is that sitting with God at anytime is never wasteful. It will always be fruitful and worth my time. Always. Maybe I'm like this because I'm trying to impress myself with all that I do in a day. Or maybe it's because our culture doesn't necessarily promote contemplation as a worthwhile activity. Either way, it is good to work like Martha, and it is good to sit at the feet of Jesus in prayer and reading of Scripture like Mary. God help us to understand that. Have a blessed Sunday, Catholic Pilgrims.
We’ve all experienced praying and then having our mind wander off to something else. “Dear God, things have been so hard lately…did I take the meat out of the freezer to thaw? “Thank you God for all your blessings and for taking care of my children and…what would be a good gift for them for their birthday?” We’ve all been there with the wandering mind. Just this week, I went to Daily Mass a little early because I wanted to talk to God about things that were weighing heavily on my heart. My prayer to God started out strong, but it wasn’t too long before my mind was off down rabbit holes. I think this happens most often for two reasons: 1. When we pray, we are slowing down and thinking. We stop all the busyness and try to focus, but our mind then feels permission to think of all the things. Which is a good reason to spend more time in silence and stillness. 2. We forget to have a conversation with God. As I was sitting there before Mass and I realized my mind was starting to think of all my worries, I just switched to telling God about my worries, much in the same way I would tell a friend. God already knows what I’m fretting over, but it was good to just think it out with Him. Servant of God Dorothy Day once wrote, “saying my prayers in bed, they are brief, half-conscious, and the planning, the considering, the figuring of ways to ‘make ends meet’ goes on. Until I catch myself and turn to God again.” Instead of giving up when you find your mind wandering, just turn back to God and invite Him into what you are thinking about, Catholic Pilgrims. Live the Faith boldly and travel well this Friday. *Mission San Gabriel
When I was in my late teens and into my twenties, I lived like a practical atheist. I'd be quick to label myself as a Christian, but there was not a single thing I did that would have alerted anyone to the fact that I was one. I didn't go to church. I didn't read my Bible. I used God's name in vain. I was not chaste. I lived with my husband before marriage. I had two issues: 1. I thought just believing in God was sufficient and 2. I had no real relationship with God. I didn't love Him. These two things, consequently, caused me to live as if God was just some distant being that didn't really factor into my life that much. Over the many years that I've been writing online, I've noticed that there are different ways that people "wear" the label of Christian. I was explaining this to my oldest daughter recently when she was home for a visit. I explained that there is the "social justice warrior" Christian, who likes to use Christianity to advance modern day social justice issues. What is striking is that the issues they are "warrioring" over are quite often in direct violation of Church teachings. They are all misguided heart and lack any obedience to Scripture or Christ's teaching. If we aren't obedient to Christ, then we do not really love Him. Another group is all intellectual. They appreciate the intellectual rigor that Christian theologians and scholars have brought to the table and they relish the opportunity to outsmart...well...anyone really. This group is all mind and no heart. If we aren't in love with the Sacred Heart of Jesus, we may enjoy the intellectual prowess of the Church's minds, but we won't have a true relationship with Jesus. A third group is the piety group. These are the people that nitpick everyone and everything to death in an attempt at moral superiority with regards to how the Faith is lived. As I've experienced this type of people over the years, I've noticed that they have a rigidity about them causing a lack of joy. Being in love with God should be a joyful thing and not cause scorn or bitterness. Lastly, there is the group that live like practical atheists, like I did. When you really love someone you want to know them and spend time with them. If as a Christian, you think you can do without church, Scripture, or adherence to Christ's teachings, then there is no love, but only the desire that the label of Christian will be enough to get you into Heaven. All of us are guilty of one or more of these things in our life, Catholic Pilgrims. What we must do is be aware and strive to love God with our whole mind, our whole heart, and our whole soul. Have a blessed Wednesday.
Today is the birthday of St. Frances Cabrini, the featured saint for Season Five of my podcast, "Journeying with the Saints." If you want to get to know a person read their words. This lets you into their mind--what they think about, dream about, fear, and love. Saints can seem distant, untouchable, and unknowable when all we do is see statues of them or hear about their feast day. Once we read their words, they become so much more real to us. I knew of Mother Cabrini, but I didn't know her very well before reading her letters. I was always impressed with hearing how much she had accomplished in her life as a missionary, but I didn't really understand how she went about doing so much. I knew she relied on God, but what that looked like for her, I didn't really get. We are almost at the end of Season Five and reading Mother Cabrini's letters has been so enriching for me. When I saw this stained-glass window at the Mother Cabrini Shrine in Golden, CO, I told my son, "This is just how I imagined her on the steamers writing to her Daughters." Since getting to know her, I talk about her to people all the time. I tell her story, give interesting details about her, share the magnitude of her missionary work, and describe how close she was to God. I have realized that when I'm talking about her, it's like sharing the story of a friend that I love very much. And that's the truth of the matter, I have come to love her and see her as friend now. So, happy birthday to St. Frances Cabrini, the first canonized American saint. St. Frances Cabrini, pray for us!
Most of us aren't ever going to come across someone out in public who is literally battered, bruised, and left for dead. It's not impossible that we would stumble upon such a situation, but the chances are more likely that we will come in contact with someone that is spiritually or emotionally battered. Way back at the start of my husband's career in the Air Force, I took a summer job at base legal. I was a front office helper with very little work to do. Most days, I was bored out of my mind. There was too little work for too many people. This suited my immediate boss just fine. She was content to do nothing and even got annoyed when people came to receive services. Consequently, I spent much of my time at work trying to find anything to do. My time there was not long after 9/11 and a lot of people on base were deploying people. One day, the phone rang and I answered, "Base legal, this is Amy." The guy on the other end was crying and said, "Ma'am, I just came home from deployment and my wife took my kids, took everything in my house, and cleaned out my bank account. I have nothing. I'm just calling to see what my legal options are." I wasn't able to pass him off to a JAG officer right at that time, but I chose to stay on the phone with him and listen to him. I knew the truth of the matter was that base legal could help very little. He needed an outside attorney. But, I decided to offer my ear. After a good while of listening, I was able to pass him over to an attorney and our phone call ended. My immediate boss started scolding me by saying, "We are not a counseling agency. You can't be holding up the lines talking to people we can't help." I responded back, "Look, I am not about to hang up the phone on someone in that situation. I didn't counsel him, I offered my time and attention." Today's reading from the Gospel of Luke is about the Good Samaritan, a story we are all familiar with. Like I said in the beginning, most of us won't come across people on the side of the road left to die, but we will come across people that need our time, attention, and love. Have a blessed Sunday, Catholic Pilgrims. *Altar is from Mission San Gabriel in Los Angeles, CA
Yesterday, my oldest daughter and I were FaceTiming with my sister. At one point in the conversation, we got around to talking about an old boyfriend of my sister's that she dated like 20 years ago. Needless to say, he wasn't the best guy to her. My sister said, "Did I tell you guys that he wrote me a letter awhile back?" My daughter and I were shocked. "What?! No, you didn't tell us. What did he say?" My sister had a screen shot of it and she started searching for it to read it to us. While we were waiting, I was joking about him. In my mind, I assumed the letter was going to be some sappy I-want-you-back letter. I thought, "Oh, boy, can't wait to hear this pathetic letter. Of course, he's been obsessed with her all this time." My sister found it and she read it to us. After each sentence, I kept waiting for him to beg and plead for her back. But..he didn't. In fact, the letter was an apology letter. He apologized to my sister, took complete ownership for his bad behavior, and wished her well. That was it. No begging. No desperation. No strings attached. It was simply him trying to make amends. I was stunned. And then I felt two things: 1. Shame over how quick I was to assume that the letter was just going to be some pathetic attempt at getting my sister back after all these years and 2. A deep sadness that I have never received such a letter from my two boyfriends that treated me so terribly. Very quickly, though, I changed my heart and mind. I needed to be glad that my sister's ex had changed as a man and tried to make peace. We should be grateful when people have a true conversion and owe up to their sins. I needed to be thankful that he apologized to my sister. As for not receiving apology letters myself, well, I need to be okay with that. Maybe it will happen, but maybe it won't. I need to continue to pray, though, for my two ex-boyfriends regardless. May we always hope and pray that people find a way to confession, redemption, and, if possible, reconciliation, Catholic Pilgrims.
This is Mission Miguel in Sante Fe, New Mexico. It is the oldest church in the United States, which the original walls and altar built in 1610. It's so wonderful that we still have it. There was a time, when the church was the focal point of a town or village. Life moved and centered itself around the church, because the Sacraments were just that important. Whenever people moved to a new area, a church needed to be built. It was a necessity. You don't hear too often, though, of people moving to an area because of a vibrant church community. Jobs and schools are the two main considerations, which isn't bad in the slightest. Both of those things are important things to consider. However, I rarely, if ever, hear someone mention the importance of moving somewhere where the church community is strong and thriving. It's a lower-tiered consideration, if it's even one at all. Of course, work may call you to a place where life isn't centered around church and worship. In those circumstances, it is up to us to continue to find ways to feed our hearts and minds with good spiritual things. Our souls cannot be neglected. I love St. Frances Cabrini's practice. No matter where she was or what island or country she was sailing past, she always looked for the steeples to let her know where Jesus was residing in the Tabernacle. Have a blessed Tuesday, Catholic Pilgrims.
On our road trip, my husband and I stopped in Oklahoma City for the night. We got in town with time to go visit Blessed Stanley Rother's Shrine. It was one of the places I've been wanting to see. We got there kind of late in the day on a Wednesday, so there weren't many people around. As we were walking up the sidewalk, I saw a worker standing with a small group of people and she looked like she was trying to protect them. As I got closer, I could see that there was a lady there who clearly was causing problems. She looked a bit disheveled and agitated. She was not speaking kindly and it seemed she was maybe on drugs. As we approached, the worker tried to block her from us and, smiling nervously, encouraged us to make our way to the church. The second we passed by the small crowd, the upset woman immediately started following my husband and me. It was then that she started spewing the most vile things at us, specifically at my husband. I was so grateful that my son was not around to hear her words. There is a scene in "The Green Mile" where the wife of the warden is seriously ill. Normally she is the sweetest most gentle woman, but because of a brain tumor, her whole personality changed into what resembled demonic possession. That's exactly how the lady following us was acting. At first, given my background of working in a field that brings you in contact with awful behavior, I thought for sure she was using drugs. And she may have been. I was worried that she was going to follow us into the church and I couldn't bear to think of her language in such a holy place. But, as we opened the door, she stopped before the steps. Stopped like she hit a wall and couldn't go any further. Then I knew, this had to be possession. Part of me wanted to rebuke the demon within her, but I've never done anything like that before. Could I even do that? Do I have that power? I do as a baptized and confirmed Christian and I should have done it. The second I saw that she couldn't cross the threshold of the church and realized what was going on, I should have rebuked that demon and prayed for her out loud. In our Gospel reading today, the disciples realize that the demons are subject to them because of Jesus' name and Christ affirms that. To be sure, regular lay people shouldn't go around trying to be exorcists, but, if the situation calls for it, we should use the power of Jesus' name. Also, not everything is demonic possession and we shouldn’t jump to that conclusion in haste. The cops showed up and she ran off, but I've been thinking about her a lot. I've been praying for her and for myself to have courage if ever faced with that situation again. Spiritual warfare is real, Catholic Pilgrims, and we need to use all the tools available to us. The most powerful being the Holy Name of Jesus. Have a blessed Sunday.
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