In case you missed it, here's where you can find ENDOW's Brigid Sweeney on EWTN's Life on the Rock!
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
Monday, May 9, 2011
Top Ten List: Prayers
God has such great timing. Just when you think you're at the end of the rope, along comes a knot.
This is my current much-needed knot. Now, I can hang on! It's from http://www.catholiceducation.org/articles/religion/re1063.htm
10 Short, Spontaneous Prayers That Really Work
FR. ROBERT SPITZER
They allow grace to come into our lives precisely at the moment we really need it with prayers that we can easily remember. What follows are a number of spontaneous prayers that have been very important in my life.
1. "Help!"
Never underestimate for a moment how much God wants to hear that prayer. We often forget because we think it's too easy or that God wouldn't respond to something so simple. But Jesus taught us to call god Abba – my affectionate, caring father, or more colloquially, "Daddy." He responds to our cries for help, just like parents respond to their children.
2. The Hail Mary.
I don't know why this is so, but if you say the Hail Mary, you will have instant consolation. I used to try to figure this out intellectually, but I have to admit that I don't know why it's true – it just is. My father, who was not a Catholic, saw action in World War II, and he told me, "Whenever the bombs started flying, and people were diving for cover and thinking they were about to die, the one thing that brought me consolation was hearing those Catholic boys saying, 'Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee ..."
10 Short, Spontaneous Prayers That Really Work
FR. ROBERT SPITZER
They allow grace to come into our lives precisely at the moment we really need it with prayers that we can easily remember. What follows are a number of spontaneous prayers that have been very important in my life.
1. "Help!"
Never underestimate for a moment how much God wants to hear that prayer. We often forget because we think it's too easy or that God wouldn't respond to something so simple. But Jesus taught us to call god Abba – my affectionate, caring father, or more colloquially, "Daddy." He responds to our cries for help, just like parents respond to their children.
2. The Hail Mary.
I don't know why this is so, but if you say the Hail Mary, you will have instant consolation. I used to try to figure this out intellectually, but I have to admit that I don't know why it's true – it just is. My father, who was not a Catholic, saw action in World War II, and he told me, "Whenever the bombs started flying, and people were diving for cover and thinking they were about to die, the one thing that brought me consolation was hearing those Catholic boys saying, 'Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee ..."
3. "Lord, make good come out of this suffering."
Sometimes, suffering has neither speedy relief nor obvious meaning. I first became aware of my serious eye problem, retinitis pigmentosa, six months before my ordination. I was completely baffled, but I knew God's providential love would be operative through this challenge throughout my life. I began to pray, "Don't waste one scintilla of this suffering. Make some good come of it." The Lord answered that prayer by deepening my gratitude for what I do have and my understanding of what matters and what doesn't. He helped me to see that every moment counts in manifesting His love and presence, and gave me a deep appreciation for the Beatitudes. I frankly cannot imagine what my priesthood and apostolic zeal would be like without my little challenge.
Sometimes, suffering has neither speedy relief nor obvious meaning. I first became aware of my serious eye problem, retinitis pigmentosa, six months before my ordination. I was completely baffled, but I knew God's providential love would be operative through this challenge throughout my life. I began to pray, "Don't waste one scintilla of this suffering. Make some good come of it." The Lord answered that prayer by deepening my gratitude for what I do have and my understanding of what matters and what doesn't. He helped me to see that every moment counts in manifesting His love and presence, and gave me a deep appreciation for the Beatitudes. I frankly cannot imagine what my priesthood and apostolic zeal would be like without my little challenge.
4. Offer it up.
When I was a child, I would complain to my mother about various things, and she would say matter-of-factly, "Offer it up." My general reaction was, "I'm always offering it up, and no good seems to come from it." It only occurred to me years later that the offering was not intended to be a direct benefit to me, but rather a benefit for the world to enhance the efficacy of my life and benefit me indirectly in the most important ways. One of the great mysteries of Christian life is that our suffering can, with Christ's suffering, help in the redemption of others.
When I was a child, I would complain to my mother about various things, and she would say matter-of-factly, "Offer it up." My general reaction was, "I'm always offering it up, and no good seems to come from it." It only occurred to me years later that the offering was not intended to be a direct benefit to me, but rather a benefit for the world to enhance the efficacy of my life and benefit me indirectly in the most important ways. One of the great mysteries of Christian life is that our suffering can, with Christ's suffering, help in the redemption of others.
5. "I give up, Lord. You take care of it."
I discovered this prayer while studying in Rome, taking a class taught in Italian, a language I didn't know well then. The professor spoke Italian faster than the Italians – with a Spanish accent! I was sure I'd flunk the course, but in desperation I finally prayed, "I give up, Lord. You take care if it!" All the pressure I'd placed on myself was relieved by giving the problem over to the Lord, Who could make some good come out of my predicament. I became content with understanding my professor only partially, and I eventually started to understand him better. On the exam, I got to select which questions to answer and chose ones that pertained to the last parts of the course, thereby hiding my earlier confusion. I did quite well, thanks to the composure that came from trusting the Lord of love.
I discovered this prayer while studying in Rome, taking a class taught in Italian, a language I didn't know well then. The professor spoke Italian faster than the Italians – with a Spanish accent! I was sure I'd flunk the course, but in desperation I finally prayed, "I give up, Lord. You take care if it!" All the pressure I'd placed on myself was relieved by giving the problem over to the Lord, Who could make some good come out of my predicament. I became content with understanding my professor only partially, and I eventually started to understand him better. On the exam, I got to select which questions to answer and chose ones that pertained to the last parts of the course, thereby hiding my earlier confusion. I did quite well, thanks to the composure that came from trusting the Lord of love.
6. Lord, I accept your forgiveness.
When I was in the novitiate, I slipped into the habit of not quite believing that God had forgiven me for my sins. I had a sneaking hunch that He was saying, "I wish I could forgive you, but you have far to go before you are perfect enough to be forgiven." This was the worst possible spiritual attitude, for I had conditioned God's forgiveness on being "good enough," yet I'd never be "good enough" without God's forgiveness and healing! Fortunately, my novice master recognized the insanity of my position. He gave me advice I've followed throughout my life: "When you ask for forgiveness, turn to God with the heart of a child who trusts unconditionally in his parents, and say, 'I accept Your forgiveness.'"
When I was in the novitiate, I slipped into the habit of not quite believing that God had forgiven me for my sins. I had a sneaking hunch that He was saying, "I wish I could forgive you, but you have far to go before you are perfect enough to be forgiven." This was the worst possible spiritual attitude, for I had conditioned God's forgiveness on being "good enough," yet I'd never be "good enough" without God's forgiveness and healing! Fortunately, my novice master recognized the insanity of my position. He gave me advice I've followed throughout my life: "When you ask for forgiveness, turn to God with the heart of a child who trusts unconditionally in his parents, and say, 'I accept Your forgiveness.'"
7. "Make good come out of whatever harm I might have caused."
If we harm someone intentionally, we need to ask that person for forgiveness. But in trying to clear up harms and possible harms, we often find ourselves powerless. Sometimes, I give advice that I think will be quite fruitful, only to realize at 3:00 in the morning that I might have really blown it. At such times, when I pray this prayer with confidence and trust, I can sense the Holy Spirit working in the hearts of the people I might have harmed. My confidence is often confirmed when the "victim" comes up to me days later and says, "Fr. Spitzer, when you said X I really took it the wrong way. But the next day I woke up and got a very different insight into what you meant."
If we harm someone intentionally, we need to ask that person for forgiveness. But in trying to clear up harms and possible harms, we often find ourselves powerless. Sometimes, I give advice that I think will be quite fruitful, only to realize at 3:00 in the morning that I might have really blown it. At such times, when I pray this prayer with confidence and trust, I can sense the Holy Spirit working in the hearts of the people I might have harmed. My confidence is often confirmed when the "victim" comes up to me days later and says, "Fr. Spitzer, when you said X I really took it the wrong way. But the next day I woke up and got a very different insight into what you meant."
8. "Lord, you are the just Judge. You take care of it."
I discovered this prayer after I had written a philosophical paper, and a colleague who didn't criticize it or ask questions when I read it publicly later criticized the paper behind my back and tried to damage my reputation. I addressed the criticism in writing, but my anger continued to grow. Every time I opened my breviary, I saw this person's face suddenly appear. I tried handling it on my own ("I'm going to stop thinking about this and forgive this person from my heart"), but this solo approach didn't work. Finally it struck me, "Why not let God help?" I said this prayer, and an unbelievable peace came over me. The immense reconciling love of the Holy Spirit cannot be underestimated.
I discovered this prayer after I had written a philosophical paper, and a colleague who didn't criticize it or ask questions when I read it publicly later criticized the paper behind my back and tried to damage my reputation. I addressed the criticism in writing, but my anger continued to grow. Every time I opened my breviary, I saw this person's face suddenly appear. I tried handling it on my own ("I'm going to stop thinking about this and forgive this person from my heart"), but this solo approach didn't work. Finally it struck me, "Why not let God help?" I said this prayer, and an unbelievable peace came over me. The immense reconciling love of the Holy Spirit cannot be underestimated.
9. Prayer for enemies.
Throughout my career, I've seen how personal conflicts can intensify in emotion when people continue to think the worst about one another. When this happens to me, I begin my campaign to pray for those who are angry at me or who may be trying to harm me. At least three times a day, I ask that the Lord enter their hearts, show them His love, and bring them to Himself. The response is absolutely remarkable. A great majority of the time, the person for whom I was praying will show a marked decrease in hostility within days. He'll approach me and say, "I don't disagree with you as much as I thought I did. Maybe you're not such a rotten punk after all!"
Throughout my career, I've seen how personal conflicts can intensify in emotion when people continue to think the worst about one another. When this happens to me, I begin my campaign to pray for those who are angry at me or who may be trying to harm me. At least three times a day, I ask that the Lord enter their hearts, show them His love, and bring them to Himself. The response is absolutely remarkable. A great majority of the time, the person for whom I was praying will show a marked decrease in hostility within days. He'll approach me and say, "I don't disagree with you as much as I thought I did. Maybe you're not such a rotten punk after all!"
10. "Thy will be done."
Without a doubt, this is the most important prayer of all. Jesus teaches us this prayer in the Our Father and uses it Himself at the Agony in the Garden. It is the centerpiece of the Christian spiritual life and can be used in times of fear, temptation, anger, and trial. Indeed, it can be substituted for all the prayer listed above. Why? Because the will of God is optimally loving, optimally good, optimally just, and optimally salvific; and when the will of God is working through you, you become an instrument of His optimally loving, good, just, and salvific will in the world. There could be no more worthy a purpose for living than this.
Without a doubt, this is the most important prayer of all. Jesus teaches us this prayer in the Our Father and uses it Himself at the Agony in the Garden. It is the centerpiece of the Christian spiritual life and can be used in times of fear, temptation, anger, and trial. Indeed, it can be substituted for all the prayer listed above. Why? Because the will of God is optimally loving, optimally good, optimally just, and optimally salvific; and when the will of God is working through you, you become an instrument of His optimally loving, good, just, and salvific will in the world. There could be no more worthy a purpose for living than this.
Saturday, May 7, 2011
Reflecting the Father on Mother's Day
I don't know who this woman is, but she's got a lot to say!
Happy Mother's Day. May each Mother's Day bring us closer to our Blessed Mother!
Reflecting the Father on Mother’s Day
By Penny Young Nance
Published May 07, 2011 | FoxNews.com
Mother’s Day isn’t just a time for sweet cards and a kitchen wrecked from a gift of “breakfast in bed.” It is also a time of reflection on what for most women is our most difficult and momentous role in life and the lessons passed down from our own mothers.
This subject could easily fill a book, but here is just one question for our consideration this year, whether you are a mom or a daughter. The question I pose to my daughter, myself, and others is this: “On what do you base your value?”
We live in a society in which little or no imperfection is tolerated. As part of a piece I did for Concerned Women for America this week, I interviewed three moms of special needs children in an effort to honor those heroes among us. The interview underscored that our society practically worships both physical and mental perfection. Americans spent $12 billion dollars last year on plastic surgery alone in pursuit of that elusive idol. According to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, those numbers are up by nine percent — despite a deep recession. Our young women are bombarded daily with unrealistic images of the ideal woman on TV, magazines, and even shopping catalogs.
ABC news recently reported that one in five girls has some form of an eating disorder. One in five! What are we doing?
When my daughter was a baby, I called Victoria’s Secret and cancelled the delivery of their catalog to my home in an a very weak effort to push back against the false notion that airbrushed, surgically-enhanced, photo-shopped women were the attainable and ideal body to envy and ultimately imitate. It just doesn’t exist in real life, and if it does, it fades with time. Watching my daughter scan the magazine covers in the grocery store checkout aisle, taking in images of women that will never exist in real life, makes me anxious to continue to affirm her worth and instill in her that her worth doesn’t come from beauty, from men, drugs and alcohol, friends, or even achievement.
No. My child, your child, and all the special needs kids in this world were fearfully and wonderfully made by a loving God in His own image. From the beginning of time He knew who they would be and, despite their imperfections, He knew His plan for them. It doesn’t sound like a mistake anymore, does it?
So, to my daughter and us all, I want to say that you are a beautiful creation. Never undervalue yourself. In fact, for those of us who accept Christ, the Biblical principle is that we are actually the adopted “daughters of the King.” Therefore, we are to carry ourselves with the dignity due our station.
In a practical sense, this means that we both deserve self-respect and the respect of others. What a lesson. On college campuses all over the nation, the “hook up” culture would never exist if our young women understood their own incredible value. Our out-of-wedlock birthrates would plummet, and eating disorders would diminish if we could stop trying to vainly boost our young women’s self-esteem, but instead teach them self-respect based on their Creator’s view of them.
As my daughter grows up, I am trying to teach her our values. My husband and I work hard to continually encourage her, tell her she’s beautiful, and make sure she knows how special she is in God’s eyes.
In a world full of false expectations and a culture containing mine fields along the road to adulthood, our job as moms is fraught with danger. However, the best gift I can leave my children is the knowledge that the image they bear is not just mine, but more importantly, it is God’s.
Happy Mother's Day. May each Mother's Day bring us closer to our Blessed Mother!
Reflecting the Father on Mother’s Day
By Penny Young Nance
Published May 07, 2011 | FoxNews.com
Mother’s Day isn’t just a time for sweet cards and a kitchen wrecked from a gift of “breakfast in bed.” It is also a time of reflection on what for most women is our most difficult and momentous role in life and the lessons passed down from our own mothers.
This subject could easily fill a book, but here is just one question for our consideration this year, whether you are a mom or a daughter. The question I pose to my daughter, myself, and others is this: “On what do you base your value?”
We live in a society in which little or no imperfection is tolerated. As part of a piece I did for Concerned Women for America this week, I interviewed three moms of special needs children in an effort to honor those heroes among us. The interview underscored that our society practically worships both physical and mental perfection. Americans spent $12 billion dollars last year on plastic surgery alone in pursuit of that elusive idol. According to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, those numbers are up by nine percent — despite a deep recession. Our young women are bombarded daily with unrealistic images of the ideal woman on TV, magazines, and even shopping catalogs.
ABC news recently reported that one in five girls has some form of an eating disorder. One in five! What are we doing?
When my daughter was a baby, I called Victoria’s Secret and cancelled the delivery of their catalog to my home in an a very weak effort to push back against the false notion that airbrushed, surgically-enhanced, photo-shopped women were the attainable and ideal body to envy and ultimately imitate. It just doesn’t exist in real life, and if it does, it fades with time. Watching my daughter scan the magazine covers in the grocery store checkout aisle, taking in images of women that will never exist in real life, makes me anxious to continue to affirm her worth and instill in her that her worth doesn’t come from beauty, from men, drugs and alcohol, friends, or even achievement.
No. My child, your child, and all the special needs kids in this world were fearfully and wonderfully made by a loving God in His own image. From the beginning of time He knew who they would be and, despite their imperfections, He knew His plan for them. It doesn’t sound like a mistake anymore, does it?
So, to my daughter and us all, I want to say that you are a beautiful creation. Never undervalue yourself. In fact, for those of us who accept Christ, the Biblical principle is that we are actually the adopted “daughters of the King.” Therefore, we are to carry ourselves with the dignity due our station.
In a practical sense, this means that we both deserve self-respect and the respect of others. What a lesson. On college campuses all over the nation, the “hook up” culture would never exist if our young women understood their own incredible value. Our out-of-wedlock birthrates would plummet, and eating disorders would diminish if we could stop trying to vainly boost our young women’s self-esteem, but instead teach them self-respect based on their Creator’s view of them.
As my daughter grows up, I am trying to teach her our values. My husband and I work hard to continually encourage her, tell her she’s beautiful, and make sure she knows how special she is in God’s eyes.
In a world full of false expectations and a culture containing mine fields along the road to adulthood, our job as moms is fraught with danger. However, the best gift I can leave my children is the knowledge that the image they bear is not just mine, but more importantly, it is God’s.
Monday, May 2, 2011
Divine Mercy
Divine Mercy Sunday has quite a stragetic location. The novena for Divine Mercy Sunday starts on Good Friday, the day that Jesus proved just how much he loves us.
We celebrate Easter Sunday. Proof that there is no neverland. Death has lost its victory. Divine Mercy Sunday is just one week later.
This year, Divine Mercy Sunday had an interesting turn of events. My morning started at work, actually. I was honored to see 13 kids all dressed up, excited and so happy to receive their first Holy Communion. The perfect start to any day.
Pope John Paul II is now Blessed John Paul II, the second major event of the day. JPII taught us so much about life, human dignity, feminine genius, etc., that a lifetime of learning may never absorb it all. A fan of St. Faustina, JPII was a cheerleader for Divine Mercy. And what a gift God's mercy is. And it's just way too cool that he was beatified on Divine Mercy Sunday.
As we were getting ready for bed, it was announced on TV that there would be a presidential press conference - with an unknown subject. One could only speculate on that news, and those guesses were pretty accurate. A man had lost his life. A man with evil on his mind. A man responsible for the deaths of thousands of people.
So what should we think? Revenge is sweet? Should we rejoice? Should we be glad? Should we be thankful that God loves us more than He loved the bad guy? Wait a minute. God does love the bad guy. As much as he loves us.
This morning, we learned of another event that occurred on Divine Mercy Sunday. A local child of 17 took his own life. His facebook profile indicates that he'd been struggling. His family now struggles with his loss.
As a parent of an 17 year old, I can only imagine the pain that family is going through. How hard it must be to find the strength to take one more step.
Across the world, terrorists could be planning revenge. Will they let hatred take over their thoughts?
May the mercy found first two events of our Sunday, heal and protect us as we muddle through the last two events of our Sunday. Lord, have mercy.
We celebrate Easter Sunday. Proof that there is no neverland. Death has lost its victory. Divine Mercy Sunday is just one week later.
This year, Divine Mercy Sunday had an interesting turn of events. My morning started at work, actually. I was honored to see 13 kids all dressed up, excited and so happy to receive their first Holy Communion. The perfect start to any day.
Pope John Paul II is now Blessed John Paul II, the second major event of the day. JPII taught us so much about life, human dignity, feminine genius, etc., that a lifetime of learning may never absorb it all. A fan of St. Faustina, JPII was a cheerleader for Divine Mercy. And what a gift God's mercy is. And it's just way too cool that he was beatified on Divine Mercy Sunday.
As we were getting ready for bed, it was announced on TV that there would be a presidential press conference - with an unknown subject. One could only speculate on that news, and those guesses were pretty accurate. A man had lost his life. A man with evil on his mind. A man responsible for the deaths of thousands of people.
So what should we think? Revenge is sweet? Should we rejoice? Should we be glad? Should we be thankful that God loves us more than He loved the bad guy? Wait a minute. God does love the bad guy. As much as he loves us.
This morning, we learned of another event that occurred on Divine Mercy Sunday. A local child of 17 took his own life. His facebook profile indicates that he'd been struggling. His family now struggles with his loss.
As a parent of an 17 year old, I can only imagine the pain that family is going through. How hard it must be to find the strength to take one more step.
Across the world, terrorists could be planning revenge. Will they let hatred take over their thoughts?
May the mercy found first two events of our Sunday, heal and protect us as we muddle through the last two events of our Sunday. Lord, have mercy.
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