Saturday, April 6, 2013

Never Become Complacent for Communion (Inspired by Father Dominic Foster TOR)

At the moment of our Baptism the Lord placed an indelible seal on our soul. He claimed us as His children. How precious we are to him. We are made to know, to serve, and to love him. He desires us to live our lives according to his word, and way. He, Jesus Christ, desires to pour graces on us in any way possible. He shows us himself through the breaking of the bread, through friendships, and through the sacraments.

Here at Franciscan and many other Universities many students have opportunities to obtain these ideals. Unfortunately, there are countless souls in others countries including China where they may have no friendship, and no place to practice the sacraments. In that Country for instance, a priest will be saying mass and have individuals watching out for those who want to distrupt and kill anyone who is involved in the mass. When the spies warn the priest of individuals coming a person will change into the priest clothes, give up their life for the priest, so the mass can continue to be celebrated. These individuals know the preciousness of the mass and who is in the Eucharist. They know Jesus in the Eucharist, and he is the way, truth and life. Because, in past times we have not been frightened for our lives for going to mass, we may take it for granite. Sometimes in mass we could be thinking about the next football game, what we are to eat for what we are to wear. These things can be good for the soul(recreation is important), however, they are not our true road which will lead to eternal life with the Lord Jesus.

We must not be complacent in our faith. There will be a time when we must stand up for Christ, and not be afraid of living and dying for our faith. The times may come sooner than we think when we have to stand up for the dignity of marriage or the human person to a deeper degree. We must equipt our person for battle. To equipt ourselves for battle we must entune ourselves to Jesus Christ in the Eucharist. When we partake in him we are becoming one with him and he in us.

Partake in the sacraments, YES, do it with as much reverence as you can muster. Praise Christ for the sacraments YES. As a priest once told me we should recieve Jesus as it is our first, last and only time recieving the Eucharist. WE must have this mindset while recieving Forgiveness in the sacrament of reconciliation. Go into the presence of the Lord and lay down your sins, so that you can rise again with him, in wholeness and holiness.

Lets strive to Grow deeper in our relationship with our Lord. Brothers and Sisters lets live for Christ in a deeper way which is good, pleasing and perfect, so that we can give ourselves to HIM who is Father Son and Holy Spirit!!!

Friday, April 5, 2013

To convert is to die to oneself but to live in Christ everlasting joy

We may kick and scream during the conversion process. As americans we like fast things. We like cars that go 80 miles an hour, food that we can order and recieve in a few minutes, and depending on where you are at in your spiritual lives spirit highs. Many individuals desire a quick fix. However, a quick fix will not help you to live a life solid in Christ. We need to let ourselves go through the conversion process. Now, I'm not saying at all it will be a process of candy canes and dandelions but it will be worth the process.

Everday were faced with struggles that we need conversion from. Conversion from lies of the world, conversion from eating too much/eating too little, or not praying enough. At any place, wherever you are you are able to be start the conversion process. It could be as simple as saying, " I surrender to your Holy Will", or "Help me to surrender to your conversion time frame and let mine be shattered". For me, I have gone through struggles to realize that conversion is a process. The many stories, or movies I have read or watched it always seemed to me that saints, and the like were always converted in around 1 or two hours time. We must realize that conversion takes time. Many, myself included desire to have a miracle where I know where the Lord wants me yesterday. The Lord may work like that in miracle cases but in most cases he desires us to grow deeper into his love and understanding on a daily basis.

All of our conversion processes start the day we are born. We may not recognize it though until many years later when we realized God was in certain places in our lives which planted seeds of insurance of his love, or a future vocation. In my life, as I am journey to go deeper with our Lord I have noticed over the course of many years he has continuously planted seeds of his wonderful love for me as Father, and shown me how he wants to shower me his daughter with gifts of deep joy and peace.

We must come to realize brothers and sister that we will be converting till the day we die. Each day we must surrender ourselves to Christ so that our conversion to occur. We can go kicking or screaming in the conversion process but that will only make the process go slower when you desire to grow closer to Christ.

When our hearts are surrendered to Christ we can draw closer to him, and our hearts can be converted to him in a deep way. When we are fully converted to him, our hope is that you may see your eternal father in heaven. For when we die our hearts will be one with him and our conversion will turn into consummation!!!

My dear Brother and sisters let us remain committed to conversion to desire to have conversion turn into consummation!!!