Lenten surprises

Raymond Arroyo of EWTN fame, has been working on producing the new Truth and Life Dramatic Bible audio. For Lent, he's giving away Mark!  Well, the book of Mark.  Take a listen - and a free download!

http://www.raymondarroyo.com/mark.html

Last year, the Belmont Abbey College released a booklet and CD of the Stations of the Cross.  They were so good that EWTN chose them to use on their station.

Belmont Abbey has them available again this year.  With the code "INSIDE CATHOLIC" (all caps, no quotes) you can set the set for $1 plus shipping.

http://www.belmontabbeycollege.edu/stations/insidecatholic.aspx

Another + for Catholic Schools

It's always fun to find something good about Catholic schools in the mainline media.  The headline on foxnews.com today said "Catholic High Schools Outperforming Public."

A 2009 comparison between public and Catholic school SAT scores show that public school students had an overall average of 496 points on the critical reading portion of the test while Catholic school students scored 533 points on the same portion. Catholic school students outscored their public school counterparts by an average of 23 points.

What makes the numbers more impressive is that Catholic high schools spend more than $2,000 less per pupil than public schools.

Unfortunately, a lot of areas in our diocese don't have a Catholic high school available.  But, I am glad I could send my kids to Catholic school for grades K-5.  Support our Catholic schools when you can. Having the boys at Poky Catholic was like being with family.

What does matter?

I was visiting with a friend about all the activities going on, such as 40 Days for Life, pro-life day at the capitol, pregnancy crisis center fund raisers and the list goes on.

These are important things.  But something feels like its missing.  DO NOT get me wrong.  These are organizations that matter and change lives of many.

While we were visiting, my friend replied to me that good deeds won't get you to heaven.  Only holiness will.

I've been thinking about that for a while now.  What does matter?  There are some awful nice people who don't believe in God.  Yet, some pious people seem to have good works follow everywhere they go.  Some don't.  There are some people who live for more events to go to.

But where does God fit in?  Is He lost in the shuffle?  Are we so busy looking for good deeds to do that we lose sight of God?

So, what should be the priority?  What does God care about?  Fr. R. had some materials on my desk last week, they were from In the Arms of Mary.  I decided to check out their website, here's their quote for the day:
What Matters To God
"You, and not what you do for God, are all that matters to Him." (from the book, The Two Pillars, pg. 36, which apparently needs to go on my reading list.)

As we prepare for Lent, remember that YOU are what matters to God.  Start planning now to make that your priority.  Plan on experiencing his love like never before.

Catholic Bibles - what to pick?

Check out http://catholicbibles.blogspot.com/  I love this website when I'm in a mood for looking at Bibles.

They've got a contest on - check it out!
http://catholicbibles.blogspot.com/2011/02/blizzard-contest.html

I was thinking about buying the thin line NRSV that came out in 2009, but still haven't decided if I need a portable Bible or an ipad or just a good version of any size that fits me.

Which reminds me...  I need to find a good easy-to-read large print Catholic Bible for a friend. Got any ideas?

A cheerleader-less Superbowl? G-L-A-D or S-A-D?

The Steelers and the Packers are among the few NFL teams that do not have a cheer squad.  If you need a nearly-bikini-clad woman to get someone interested in a football game, there's a problem somewhere.  You can see the whole article here.

Having been devoted to dance routines and back flips for so many years herself, Jamie Beckman said she’ll feel a pang of sadness that cheerleaders won’t be there as the Steelers take on the Packers. She does add however that she feels the cheerleaders associated with men’s sports have developed a “certain creepy, sexist feeling” given that the focus is often on young women donning bright stage makeup and midriff-baring tops, while projecting rah-rahs for the men, which potentially sets a dangerous example to young, impressionable girls. 

“Little girls should grow up with the drive and ability to pursue their passions, whether through sports or through something like dance, and if all they see the women on TV doing is wearing lipstick and waving pom-poms, then there's a problem,” Beckman added. “Will I personally miss the cheerleaders? I might — as a former cheerleader, I still love to watch the routines, and I still like catching the cheerleading competitions on ESPN. But I have to say, as I grew older and left my cheer career behind, I realized that during NFL games, when the cameraman shoots a blond cheerleader right before the station goes to commercial, it ain't because he's trying to capture her athleticism.”

Arms of Love - a great book

If you'd see my reading stack, you would know that I've read almost no fiction in the last few years.  I've mostly been reading books to keep up spiritually, so this book was quite a surprise.  Arms of Love was first recommended to me by Fr. Brad.  He also recommended it for my son, the dating teen-ager.

Fr. Brad told about this book at least a year ago.  I dilly-dallied around, finally ordered it.  I looked at it a while, then finally started reading it.  I put it down after about 10 chapters, knowing I'd have to finish it some day.

Well, the last time I saw Fr. Brad (a couple weeks ago), he reminded me that it was a good book.  A week later, I picked it up again, and couldn't put it down.  He was almost right - it's a great book! (Too bad I can't drive and read!)    Here's the website.

It's fiction, it's Catholic.  What a refreshing combination.  Joanie gets a new job at a TV station.  Brandon is the lover-boy looking for another girl to conquer.  This book is about chastity, courting, sacraments, true love and family.  And even though it's fiction, it's got quite a message for evangelizing.  

A bit of a warning, though.  I'm not sure everyone prays before the Blessed Sacrament before they go out for dinner on a date.  Some people struggle a lot in their journey to the Catholic faith, but not much here.  Parts like that seemed kind of hokey.  But...

BUT, those were the times that made me realize what little things I can actually do to increase my prayer time and to let others know that I will live what I say I am.  It also gave some great verbage to say when people ask about my faith.  So, through this novel, there was a lot to learn.

I could use your prayers for getting the son to read it, don't know how that will go over yet.

I'm wanting to order the sequel, Surrender.  There's a special when you order 10 books or more mix-and-match.  You in? 

The Summons

The summons came in the mail.  Jury duty.  What are they thinking?  I was just there - 12 years ago or so.  And right there on the paper is says: "Jury Summons  Do Not Discard."

I looked up the definition of summons.  Here's what google says:

• bidding: a request to be present; "they came at his bidding"
• an order to appear in person at a given place and time
• summon: call in an official matter, such as to attend court

Actually, if I don't fill out the form and sent it back, or if I don't show up, I'd get charged with contempt of court.  They'll come lookin' for me!

We have a song called The Summons in our music books at church.
"Will you come and follow me if I but call your name?"  Who, me?
"Will you go where you don't know and never be the same?"  Well that takes a leap of faith and it depends on where we're going.
"Will you let my love be shown? Will you let me name be known?"  Sure. when people ask me first.
"Will you let my life be grown in you and you in me?"  OK, that parts sounds pretty good.

How come we get our hiney's to jury duty, but when God calls, we pretend we don't hear.  Free will is a gift, but do we use our free will for things that REALLY matter?  What will it take for people to say "yes" to God when he calls them?  God has called you and me!  But unlike jury duty, when I just have to show up once (hopefully less) God's summons has me going back to him every day (or more often.)  I like it that way.  I sometimes call that "daily bread."

If we want His life to be grown in us and us in him, we probably should go and follow when he calls our name.  But it does take a leap of faith to answer that summons.  And it's worth everything.

Lord your summons echoes true when you but call my name.
Let me turn and follow you and never be the same.
In Your company I'll go where Your love and footsteps show.
Thus I'll move and live and grow in you and you in me.