Bishop Barron on Religion and Happiness

Bishop Barron’s Missionary Journey to Ireland

I Can't Believe Lyric Video

The Pennsylvania Sex Abuse Scandal

This was a tough video to watch but very enlightening. I highly recommend watching it sheds light to so much.

Look Not With Eyes, but Faith

Jesus, 

Sometimes this life is hard. I know you and believe in you but things happen and I get distracted. I lose faith that. You can work through me. I loose faith that I can do wondrous things with your help, grace and power. Help me to stay focused on you, your righteousness and your love. Help me of little faith do your will and glorify your name in this world so that others may see your love and come home to you. In Jesus Christ's name I pray amen.

Habakkuk 1:12—2:4

Are you not from eternity, O LORD,
my holy God, immortal?
O LORD, you have marked him for judgment,
O Rock, you have readied him punishment!
Too pure are your eyes to look upon evil,
and the sight of misery you cannot endure.
Why, then, do you gaze on the faithless in silence
while the wicked man devours
one more just than himself?
You have made man like the fish of the sea,
like creeping things without a ruler.
He brings them all up with his hook,
he hauls them away with his net,
He gathers them in his seine;
and so he rejoices and exults.
Therefore he sacrifices to his net,
and burns incense to his seine;
for thanks to them his portion is generous,
and his repast sumptuous.
Shall he, then, keep on brandishing his sword
to slay peoples without mercy?

I will stand at my guard post,
and station myself upon the rampart,
And keep watch to see what he will say to me,
and what answer he will give to my complaint.

Then the LORD answered me and said:
Write down the vision
Clearly upon the tablets,
so that one can read it readily.
For the vision still has its time,
presses on to fulfillment, and will not disappoint;
If it delays, wait for it,
it will surely come, it will not be late.
The rash man has no integrity;
but the just man, because of his faith, shall live.

It doesn't always make sense to me why people who don't believe in God succeed. Sometimes it's so daunting that I doubt my abilities and that I can work with God and be successful, but I read these lines and I find solace. I realize that God has a way that me as a small man cannot understand. My job is to sit at his feet, learn, love and do his will. It's that simple. I should trust in God, because he loves me and takes care of me always.

Matthew 17:14-20

A man came up to Jesus, knelt down before him, and said,
"Lord, have pity on my son, who is a lunatic and suffers severely;
often he falls into fire, and often into water.
I brought him to your disciples, but they could not cure him."
Jesus said in reply,
"O faithless and perverse generation, how long will I be with you?
How long will I endure you?
Bring the boy here to me."
Jesus rebuked him and the demon came out of him,
and from that hour the boy was cured.
Then the disciples approached Jesus in private and said,
"Why could we not drive it out?"
He said to them, "Because of your little faith.
Amen, I say to you, if you have faith the size of a mustard seed,
you will say to this mountain,
'Move from here to there,' and it will move.
Nothing will be impossible for you."

As I read these lines things become even clearer. I have to work with God and through God by a strong faith in God. The devil is deceitful and wants to take away our faith so that we feel lost and come to his ways, but God is always there and always provides. I must have faith. I must constantly work to build my faith and make it strong by working with God's grace. I need to pray and to fast. I need to say, "NO" to things in my life so that I will be strong to say, "NO" to doubting in times when it really matters. It's all about training my mind, body and soul. Jesus believes in me and knows what we can do with his help, but we have to open our hearts and minds to it.

And that's al I got to say about that.

What Do I Say vs. What Do I Do

Deuteronomy 4:1, 5-9

Moses spoke to the people and said:
"Now, Israel, hear the statutes and decrees
which I am teaching you to observe,
that you may live, and may enter in and take possession of the land
which the LORD, the God of your fathers, is giving you.
Therefore, I teach you the statutes and decrees
as the LORD, my God, has commanded me,
that you may observe them in the land you are entering to occupy.
Observe them carefully,
for thus will you give evidence
of your wisdom and intelligence to the nations,
who will hear of all these statutes and say,
'This great nation is truly a wise and intelligent people.'
For what great nation is there
that has gods so close to it as the LORD, our God, is to us
whenever we call upon him?
Or what great nation has statutes and decrees
that are as just as this whole law
which I am setting before you today?

"However, take care and be earnestly on your guard
not to forget the things which your own eyes have seen,
nor let them slip from your memory as long as you live,
but teach them to your children and to your children's children."

This is another one of those readings where I have to look at myself in the mirror hard and long. Do I teach the word of God to my children? Do I share what I know and love about God with those that I meet? Am I truly mindful as I go about my days and remember the lessons and decrees of God and then follow them? Hmm, I'll be honest some of the answers need work, others I am okay with, but none of them leave me feeling accomplished. I can't tell you how many times I have been out playing live or else wise seen an opportunity to share the love of Jesus and didn't because I didn't want to be thought of as a "weirdo-Jesus-freak". 

Holy Spirit,

I love you. You have done so much for me when I don't even deserve it. Please come down upon me today and everyday and give me wisdom and courage. Help me to share Jesus with those that I meet. Help me to not worry about what other people think. Give me the understanding and knowledge so that I may say the right thing at the right time. Actually, I really just want to get out the picture altogether. Please Holy Spirit possess me. Let not my will be done, of Yours, the Father and the Son. I am afraid that if I am involved I will just mess it up. Thank you.

In Jesus Christ's name I pray,

Amen

A small GIFT!

DANIEL 3:25, 34-43

stood up in the fire and prayed aloud:

“For your name’s sake, O Lord, do not deliver us up forever,
or make void your covenant.
Do not take away your mercy from us,
for the sake of Abraham, your beloved,
Isaac your servant, and Israel your holy one,
To whom you promised to multiply their offspring
like the stars of heaven,
or the sand on the shore of the sea.
For we are reduced, O Lord, beyond any other nation,
brought low everywhere in the world this day
because of our sins.
We have in our day no prince, prophet, or leader,
no burnt offering, sacrifice, oblation, or incense,
no place to offer first fruits, to find favor with you.
But with contrite heart and humble spirit
let us be received;
As though it were burnt offerings of rams and bullocks,
or thousands of fat lambs,
So let our sacrifice be in your presence today
as we follow you unreservedly;
for those who trust in you cannot be put to shame.
And now we follow you with our whole heart,
we fear you and we pray to you.
Do not let us be put to shame,
but deal with us in your kindness and great mercy.
Deliver us by your wonders,
and bring glory to your name, O Lord.”

I read these lines and something stirs in my heart. I know that in the past I thought I had to do BIG things to win God's love. I smile and chuckle at myself. I don't need to win God's love. He already loves me. I don't have to do great things to make him proud. I don't have to stand on stage and declare his word to masses of people. When I sin I don't need to give all I have to charity. I don't have to whip myself with cords. All God wants is my heart. All he wants is my love. Does he want me to use my talents for his glory? Yes, but I don't have be the best songwriter ever. All he wants is what a good father wants. He wants me to be the man he knows that I can become and to use all I have and am to glorify him.

God,

I am sorry. I can be a proud man. I can be hard hearted. I can be stiff-necked. I can be really stupid. I love you. Please forgive me and teach me with your loving heart. Help me to love like you want me to. Show me your way even when I act and say that I don't want to know. God you have given me talents. Help me to make the most of them YOUR way. I want to write and sing and work for you. I want to share your word and way with all that I meet. Thank you God for my whole life.

In Jesus Christ's name I pray,

Amen