Busted Halo

Perpetual Pentecost

Caitlin Kennell Kim — Sun, 19 May 2013 07:05:20 +0000

The Church is alive. We -- you and me and all of us who dare to call Jesus “Lord” -- are the living Body of Christ on earth. We are the hands of Christ reaching out to comfort, to heal, to feed, to sacrifice for those in bondage.

The secret of success is sincerity. Once you can fake that, you’ve got it made. — Jean Giraudoux

Daily Jolt — Sun, 19 May 2013 07:00:00 +0000

If you’re having trouble in your prayer practice, fake it until you make it; you’ll be surprised how it works.…

A day without laughter is a day wasted. — Nicolas Chamfort

Daily Jolt — Sat, 18 May 2013 07:00:00 +0000

Laugh! Watch a silly sitcom or YouTube video or check out your Facebook news feed for a funny meme and have a good, deep, belly laugh.…

Pentecost in Two Minutes

The Editors — Fri, 17 May 2013 22:35:24 +0000

Can't remember what or when Pentecost is? Well for starters, it's this Sunday; and if you want a little more info on this celebration of the Holy Spirit and the birthday of the Church, take a look at Busted Halo's two minute video.

There is a time when we all fail, some people take it pretty well, some take it all out on themselves… — The Strokes

Daily Jolt — Fri, 17 May 2013 07:00:00 +0000

Forgive yourself for something you’ve done that you are regretting and having trouble letting go of.…

How Can Anyone Really Take the Bible Seriously?

Ann Naffziger — Fri, 17 May 2013 05:18:29 +0000

Question: How can anyone really take the bible seriously? It was written soooooo long ago and has gone through one translation after another. If someone sat down today and pounded out a bunch of stories because “God spoke to them” and said we should obey everything within them, would we believe it? … The Bible was written long ago, between two

The most valuable possession you can own is an open heart. The most powerful weapon you can be is an instrument of peace. — Carlos Santana

Daily Jolt — Thu, 16 May 2013 07:00:00 +0000

Today, be open to hearing different viewpoints or beliefs than your own.…

Unwrap the Gifts of the Spirit this Pentecost

Andy Otto — Thu, 16 May 2013 06:05:44 +0000

On Pentecost Sunday, God breathed the Holy Spirit into the apostles to remind them that they were not alone. Jesus had died, risen from the dead, and ascended into heaven. Jesus’ followers were afraid and unsure of their future. The Holy Spirit came to comfort them even though Jesus wasn’t there to physically comfort them any more. What does the Holy…

Tongues of Flame

Ann Turner — Wed, 15 May 2013 07:05:34 +0000

Several years ago my family and I took a trip to the Southwest so I could do some research for a book I was writing for Scholastic’s “Dear America” series. While in Tucson, Arizona, we visited the astounding church called “The White Dove of the Desert,” which has some of the liveliest, most colorful folk art I’ve yet seen. One of the paintings…

Be good and you will be lonesome. — Mark Twain

Daily Jolt — Wed, 15 May 2013 07:00:00 +0000

Concentrate your focus on doing the right thing in every situation, even if it causes others to treat you differently.…

Do Orthodox Jews Dislike the Other Branches of Judaism?

Thomas Ryan, CSP — Wed, 15 May 2013 04:07:58 +0000

This varies considerably among Orthodox Jews. Some feel other branches are legitimate; others feel other branches are illegitimate. Still others feel other branches are “good training” for more traditional lifestyles which would be the goal. In all cases, Orthodox Jews accept Jewish people born of Jewish mothers as Jewish (that is, part of…

The Seven Deadly Sins of The Great Gatsby

Louis Sullivan — Tue, 14 May 2013 18:00:58 +0000

The Great Gatsby has been touted as many things: one of the contenders for the title of “The Great American Novel,” a flash game, and now, a summer blockbuster. But for all the things that The Great Gatsby has been, a good example certainly is not one of them.

Everyone’s Eucharist

John Byrd — Tue, 14 May 2013 07:05:13 +0000

Dozens of candles flickered and melted together on the cobblestones while we gathered in front of a small table. Conversations in English and Spanish mixed with plenty of laughter as participants in the Casa de la Solidaridad program, Salvadoran scholarship students and the staff of Casa settled onto the pillows lying on the ground. Together, we prepared…

“I wish it need not have happened in my time,”" said Frodo. “”So do I,”" said Gandalf, “”and so do all who live to see such times. But that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us.”" — J.R.R. Tolkien

Daily Jolt — Tue, 14 May 2013 07:00:00 +0000

Use your time wisely today. Don’t get distracted by things that don’t matter.…

It is not love that is blind, but jealousy. — Lawrence Durrell

Daily Jolt — Mon, 13 May 2013 07:00:00 +0000

Say a prayer for courage and strength to let go of any jealousy you have of others.…

If you want to know what a man’s like, take a good look at how he treats his inferiors, not his equals. — from “Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire” by J.K. Rowling

Daily Jolt — Sun, 12 May 2013 07:00:00 +0000

Today, treat everyone around you — even the most annoying coworker/classmate/neighbor — with compassion.…

Nothing is a waste of time if you use the experience wisely. — Rodin

Daily Jolt — Sat, 11 May 2013 07:00:00 +0000

Take time today to relax and listen to God.…

Virtual Mother’s Day Retreat

The Editors — Fri, 10 May 2013 18:00:23 +0000

This Sunday is Mother's Day -- a day dedicated to honoring our mothers. As we become "adults" our relationships with our mothers evolve and our perspectives shift. We might feel distanced from our mothers or even at odds with them. This virtual retreat focuses on our changing relationships with our mothers. You can do this retreat on your own or with your mom! Live far away? Email her the link then get on the phone, Facetime or Skype. So, in addition to a card or gift (don't forget!), celebrate Mother's Day with your mother in a unique way.

A Message To Graduates: Set the World on Fire!

Chantal Freeman — Fri, 10 May 2013 07:05:45 +0000

And so begins the rest of our lives! Did you just tremble? Was that a yelp I heard? Why so scared, nervous, anxious? So much life is before us! As we walk down the platform steps after receiving our diplomas, do not let the fear of adulthood, decision making and change overwhelm you. Embrace the reality that the future is full of opportunities. Whether you have a plan…

Face your life, its pain, its pleasure, leave no path untaken. — Neil Gaiman

Daily Jolt — Fri, 10 May 2013 07:00:00 +0000

Today, ask God to show you the different paths or directions that you might take in life. (Tomorrow, start praying for discernment about which path to take!)…

Does the Bible Say Men Should Love Wives More than Their Mothers?

Ann Naffziger — Fri, 10 May 2013 06:17:19 +0000

Question: In spiritual law, men leave their mothers for their wife, when they marry. But if a man chooses to love and cherish the mother OVER the wife, isn’t this a conflict that God would not encourage?… There is nothing in scripture that declares that a man should love or cherish his wife more than his mother, but it simply points to a change in the relationship

Iron Man 3: Redemption vs. Revenge

Louis Sullivan — Thu, 09 May 2013 13:02:58 +0000

This past weekend, Marvel’s Iron Man 3 opened in theaters, earning $175 million in the United States. The story focuses on Tony Stark’s struggle to deal with the events of last year’s The Avengers… as well as the new threat posed by a terrorist called the Mandarin (played by Sir Ben Kingsley). Yet below the standard hero vs. villain standoff we’ve come

Not the Mama

Elizabeth Desimone — Thu, 09 May 2013 07:05:29 +0000

One humid Sunday morning in May, I went with my parents and a dear family friend to church. Towards the end of the service, the priest asked for all women in the church to rise for the Mother’s Day blessing. I figured he must have misspoken. He meant for all the mothers in the church to rise for the Mother’s Day blessing. But when some of us childless females stayed…

Life is actually really simple, but we insist on making it complicated. — Confucius

Daily Jolt — Thu, 09 May 2013 07:00:00 +0000

Surrender control of the stresses in your life to God.…

Does a Chalice Have to be Made of Gold?

Mike Hayes — Thu, 09 May 2013 05:33:11 +0000

Technically, no. But it is perhaps the best metal suited for a chalice. The gold goblet after all is a longtime symbol of family and tradition. There’s a more practical reason for a chalice to be made of “material that must be noble, durable, and in every case adapted to sacred use. In this sphere, judgment belongs to the episcopal conference of the…

The Prayer of La Faba

Rebecca Gallo — Wed, 08 May 2013 09:05:29 +0000

“Make sure you stop in the church at O Cebreiro and read the prayer there,” Rick’s e-mail told me. He had gotten ahead of me on the Camino, but would send me daily updates on his progress and things not to miss. I didn’t see this particular e-mail before I arrived in O Cebriero. But I found the Prayer of La Faba easily enough, and knew it was…

Stop Hijacking Jesus’ Talents

Andy Otto — Wed, 08 May 2013 07:05:21 +0000

Every so often I find myself truly inspired by someone I’ve come to know or witness. We’ve all had important figures we’ve tried to emulate. If you’re Catholic you’ll know that the saints are such a “cloud of witnesses,” who exemplify Christ-like living for us. And while we’re talking about Jesus, is he not ultimately the one all Christians…

Friends can help each other. A true friend is someone who lets you have total freedom to be yourself; and especially to feel. Or, not feel. Whatever you happen to be feeling at the moment is fine with them. That’s what real love amounts to: letting a person be what he really is. — Jim Morrison

Daily Jolt — Wed, 08 May 2013 07:00:00 +0000

Tell a friend today that you love them. Try to find a friend you haven’t said this to in a while.…

Is Judaism Pro-choice or Pro-life?

Thomas Ryan, CSP — Wed, 08 May 2013 04:57:23 +0000

The answer is neither and both. Judaism strongly opposes the wanton destruction of a fetus and at the same time permits abortion in a range of circumstances and therefore champions the civil rights that allow the Jewish legal decision-making process to operate freely. It is for this reason that in the United States, Jewish leaders have favored leniency in the…

Welcome Anxiety

Ann Turner — Tue, 07 May 2013 07:05:53 +0000

I don’t know about you, but just writing the word “anxiety” makes me anxious. It’s sort of like a virus. You see someone sneezing, try to escape the droplets spraying out, but still get the darn cold no matter what you do. I suspect fear and anxiety are somewhat the same: We catch them from others and we grow them inside ourselves as well.…