The Blessed Virgin Mary gave us the greatest gift by accepting the honor of bringing God’s only Son into the world.  Imagine her anticipation during those days of uncertainty.  As the Mother of God she provides us with a great example of acceptance and love.  Mary found peace i...
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We are approaching a beautiful time of the liturgical year, the Advent season.  This time of expectation is about preparing for the “coming” of Jesus in the celebration of his birth.  It is a time filled with anticipation; as the Church makes present the expectancy of the Mess...
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“For it is in giving that we receive.”  These words from the Prayer of St. Francis of Assisi are beautiful and true.  When our hearts and minds are set on Jesus, we understand how this message affects our lives.  We can never surpass the generosity of God; but in trying,...
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“Here I am Lord, I have come to do your will.”  – Hebrews 10:9     I am very grateful to share my thoughts regularly in this column, “Gratitude for the Gift of Faith.”  I take this responsibility to prayer each time I sit down to write.  I ask...
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We have a special jar in our home that we use for writing prayer intentions. The “prayer jar” contains appeals for our concerns, prayers of thanksgiving and hope for our needs.  Periodically, I go through the folded pieces of paper and reflect on the progress of our requests.  ...
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We celebrate the milestones in our lives, and we get specific when it comes to numbers. The number of birthdays we celebrate, and the silver, golden, and diamond anniversaries. A jubilee is a celebration with rejoicing. In the Roman Catholic Church, a jubilee is an appointed year or period, ordinar...
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I recently perused 30 years of photo albums to scan pictures for our son’s upcoming wedding.  Those who know me recognize that I love to capture memories with photographs. The digital processes in technology make images instantly available.  We can take a photo and send it through c...
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We make promises and work faithfully to build strong relationships in our lives.  We are often bound to written contracts with legal connections. But there is only one agreement that is offered with love and eternal promises, and that is our covenant with God. He has made covenants throughout...
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All Catholics should be concerned with personal salvation – for ourselves and for those we love.  It is essential to be preparing for eternal life while living here on earth. We must not grow cold in our relationship with God, the Creator of all things!  I am infinitely grateful for...
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Do you feel like your spirit is broken by the current events in our world? It is sometimes difficult to realize the goodness around us. There is a way to handle the frustration, but it is not always found in places, things, or people.  It is our responsibility to appreciate that anything is po...
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