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Consoling the Sacred Heart (by Un-Hardening Our Own)

Christy Wilkens — Fri, 19 Jun 2020 15:30:07 +0000

Mercy is love when it encounters suffering.

There is certainly enough suffering to encounter in the world today. Coronavirus fears, deep economic distress, and a nation threatening to rip itself to pieces over the insidious, ongoing sin of racial injustice. To say nothing of all the usual suffering that has been almost pushed aside as an afterthought, a mere ripple on the surface of the tidal wave: cancer, divorce, abuse, envy, loneliness.

But those opening words above remind us that suffering is never the end of the story. Where sin abounds, so does grace (Romans 5:20). The extraordinary suffering of these days can be met with extraordinary love, a meeting which ends only and exactly one way: mercy triumphs.

“Mercy is love when it encounters suffering,” writes Father Michael Gaitley in his do-it-yourself Ignatian retreat, Consoling the Heart of Jesus. Today, as we celebrate the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart, let’s take a moment to reflect on what it means to console Jesus’ Sacred Heart and walk together through Fr. Gaitley’s challenge to us — a challenge with direct applicability to the many crises at hand in our broken world.

To console Jesus is to trust in His mercy. Why does Jesus need consoling, when He is happy in heaven? Because Jesus’ incomprehensible love for the world is so routinely rejected. All he wants, Fr. Gaitley insists, is for us to be His friend and accept His love. We trust in His merciful love, and offer praise and thanksgiving even for the sufferings we encounter. And when others do not honor or love Christ, we strive to do so even more, to make up for the lack.

This is how we can console Christ in His role as the Head of the Mystical Body, and it’s the important foundation for what follows. But the more urgent and relevant question right now is how we can console the Sacred Heart of Christ in the members of his body.

Fr. Gaitley devotes an entire section to hardness of heart, drawing extensively on Christoph Cardinal Schönborn’s talk at the 2008 World Apostolic Congress on Mercy. Cardinal Schönborn explained:

A hard heart is the opposite of mercy. How much we must implore God so our hearts do not become hardened like stone! Our hearts must not become insensitive! In fact, insensitivity is the primary sin of man against God and neighbor. Hardness of heart separates us from God, is the loss of our humanity, and causes so much suffering.

Think on this:

All the peaceful protests and the looting. All the long history of American racism, overt and covert. All the deaths of unarmed civilians in police custody and the shooting of innocent officers. All the people dying alone from COVID and those caring for them. All those desperate for community or work and those shouting them down for risking public health. All who are hungering for a full return to worship and those who demand quarantine, here but not there.

All of these are evidence of suffering, in one way or another. Christ asks, and our faith demands, that all of them — yes, all — be consoled.

Where in that list did you flinch? Where have you fallen prey to rash judgment or unforgiveness? Where have you forgotten to pray for those with whom you vehemently disagree? Where can you offer your sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving, of word and deed, as reparation for the many, many terrible sins against love and mercy currently on display?

Where is your heart hardened? How can you turn a merciful gaze and a merciful hand instead, and offer consolation to Christ in both His Head and His Body?

I invite you to pray to the Sacred Heart with me today, a prayer written by St Margaret Mary Alacoque, for a resurgence of trust in Christ’s healing mercy and against all hardness of heart.

O Sacred Heart of Jesus, for whom it is impossible not to have compassion on the afflicted, have pity on us miserable sinners and grant us the grace which we ask of you, through the Sorrowful and Immaculate Heart of Mary, your tender mother and ours. Amen.

Ask Jesus to reveal to you the places where He wants you to unveil His mercy in the world. I promise, He has a job for you, and there is plenty of work to go around. May your words and deeds bring consolation to the Sacred Heart, today and always.

Ask Jesus to reveal to you the places where He wants you to unveil His mercy in the world. By @csawilkens
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Peace for the Heart and Soul: 3 Must-Reads from Pauline Books

Barb Szyszkiewicz, OFS — Fri, 19 Jun 2020 14:00:29 +0000

This year has been a challenging one for us all. Worries about current events, illness, and financial issues, coupled with the isolation we’ve experienced due to coronavirus quarantines, can propel us into a negative spiral of emotions. If you’re a worrier anyway (like me) that can make things even tougher.

These three books from Pauline Books & Media can be helpful for anyone experiencing anxiety, depression, disappointment, and discouragement. In different ways, they offer guidance along a road to hope and peace.

Give Peace to My Soul

St. Elizabeth of the Trinity (1880-1906) was a Carmelite nun inspired by Sts. Teresa of Ávila and Thérèse of Lisieux. Give Peace to My Soul: Discover St. Elizabeth of the Trinity’s Secret of Prayer by Fr. Jean Lafrance focuses on this young nun’s spiritual writings, which can benefit readers no matter what their state in life. In challenging times, focusing on the grace and gift of the present moment can be a great comfort.

In the present moment, faith … helps us discover God at work. God’s design of live brings us into being, and he has a plan for each one of us, a plan he wants to realize with our help. But he does not reveal this plan of love to us all at once. As he did with his Chosen People, God forms us through history, for each event of our lives is a moment of this history. If we look at our lives from a human perspective, we will see a succession of happy or sad events with no apparent connection. The gaze of faith, however, assures us that the great presence of God overshadows these events; through them, the Lord calls us to be in communion with his plan of love. (73)

St. Elizabeth had a great devotion to the Holy Trinity and to the Blessed Mother as a model of prayer. Busy moms will appreciate the section on simplicity in prayer: “a prayerful heart merely stays close to God and remains united with Him” (58), and the final chapter, titled “The Christian Call to Intimacy with God,” sums up the saint’s writings on the spiritual life. The book concludes with a selection of prayers to the Holy Spirit.

Surviving Depression: A Catholic Approach

This excellent book by Sr. Kathryn J. Hermes, FSP, is now in its third edition. Surviving Depression: A Catholic Approach is a comfort to anyone who feels alone, misunderstood, and hopeless. Sr. Kathryn describes a holistic approach to mental health that can involve reading, prayer, friendship, spiritual direction, therapy, and more — and invites readers to step out in courage and take the path(s) that will be most helpful to them. Packed with suggestions for prayer and tips for helping yourself or loved ones who are depressed, this book is honest, concrete, and down-to-earth.

We are sons and daughters of God who share in God’s glory, partake of God’s nature, and are destined to inherit God’s eternal kingdom. … Inheritance implies ownership. We won’t just slip in the back door — the kingdom will belong to us as much as it belongs to our “co-heir,” Jesus Christ (cf. Rm 8:17). In this spiritual hospital that is the comunity of believers, we learn that in all the sorrows and pain of depression, we are “more than conquerers through God who has loved us” (cf. Rm. 8:37).

New in this edition: additional material that reflects new developments in wellness with regard to depression, and is grounded in the interlinking of God’s life within us and our concrete psychological makeup.

Reclaim Regret: How God Heals Life’s Disappointments

Sr. Kathryn J. Hermes, FSP, also wrote Reclaim Regret: How God Heals Life’s Disappointments. This book is divided into two distinct parts; the first concerns four promises God makes to us:

I want to throw you a party.
Look at me, and you will know who you are.
You see your failure, I see your future.
My light will radiate from you for all the world to see.

Each promise is considered over the course of several chapters, beginning with a meditation on a Scripture story and a guide to prayer. An anecdote illustrating the same truths contained in the Scripture story follows, along with advice and encouragement along the same theme. The chapters conclude with a meditation exercise that would also be a good journaling topic.

Part two of the book offers six meditations designed to help the reader find healing. These meditations are based on well-known Scripture passages and can be completed on a retreat, during a holy hour, or during prayer time at home.

Regrets have a funny way of taking over your life. You spin the days, weeks, and years around the memories of your regrets. You may spend more time trying to fix or hide your regrets rather than just getting out of the way of what is happening now. But God isn’t confined by what you think your life is or could become. No matter what you have done, Jesus says to you, “I have made you for more than this!” (62)

This useful and encouraging book is designed to help anyone burdened by regrets and offer hope amid times of pain.

Visit our Book Notes archive.

Copyright 2020 Barb Szyszkiewicz, OFS
This article contains Amazon affiliate links; your purchases through these links benefit the author.

Closer to Our Lord: Painting the Sacred Heart

Margaret Rose Realy, Obl. OSB — Fri, 19 Jun 2020 12:30:03 +0000

The Sacred Heart of Jesus is one of the go-to places of rest for me. I imagine placing my cheek against Our Lord’s chest, and like a child, find the comfort needed. It is this affection that encourages me to paint His Sacred Heart.

Painting, and praying while doing so, is a discipline that is easy and restful. Those Sacred Hearts are not exquisite, but simple impressions of the fiery power in humility to change those around us — Jesus changed the world with His perfect humility of heart. To be humble is to be meek in the true Greek usage; to be strong and powerful yet under control and willing to submit to guidance.

Staying close to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, our strength is maintained as we are guided — sometimes through a battle! By @realym
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Staying close to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, our strength is maintained as we are guided — sometimes through a battle! Any child or adult can draw a red heart, add black squiggling lines around it representing the Crown of Thorns, and place a yellow tear-drop shaped flame on top, and talk with Jesus as we do so.

Maybe if we like what we’ve created well enough, we can give it as a gift to someone. A double blessing this; first in our drawing closer to Our Lord while creating a Sacred Heart, and then the recipient drawing close to Our Lord when looking upon our gift to them. Revealed to the childlike … like a child needing a burden lightened who is comforted by being held close so as to hear a heartbeat, we too are comforted being close to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

Dear Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, lead me to your heart, fill my heart with your love and allow me to share that love with others.

How can you grow in your love to the Sacred Heart of Jesus?

Copyright 2020 Margaret Rose Realy, Obl. OSB
Image by Daian Gan (2016), Pexels
Painting of the Sacred Heart of Jesus copyright Margaret Rose Realy, Obl. OSB. All rights reserved.

Spinach and Cheese Spanakopita Pie

Guest — Fri, 19 Jun 2020 11:00:51 +0000

Editor’s note: As today is the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, it is not a Meatless Friday. This meatless dish would make a wonderful appetizer for a feast-day meal.

When my husband and I traveled to Greece, I ate more than my share of spanakopita, even though I was thinking about calories and trying to keep off extra weight. To my surprise, when we returned home I hadn’t gained a pound!

Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, I began thinking about boosting our immune systems. I searched for recipes rich in foods that might help my family and me fight against viral infection. I found two articles, “10 Magical Greek Foods and Herbs to Boost Your Immune System” and “16 Foods That Boost and Improve Your Immune System.” Extra virgin olive oil, marjoram, spinach, and egg are the stuff spanakopita is made of, and the rest is now a part of my culinary history.

My inspiration for this new twist in Spanakopita—where phyllo sheets are individually rolled with alternating spinach and cheese fillings—was a woman I follow on Instagram, @marysgramm. She’s a practicing Greek Orthodox, and I watched her create meatless Friday spanakopita on an Instagram video. The problem was, her recipes are all in Greek—and metric. Yikes!

I was determined to make my own spectacular version of Spanakopita, and I wanted the process to be fast and easy enough that I could make it as often as I liked. So to the test kitchen I went!

Spinach and Cheese Spanakopita

Yield: 6-8 servings
Prep time: 30 min.
Cooking time: 30-40 min.

INGREDIENTS:

SPINACH FILLING

1/2 16 oz. pkg. Athens brand Phyllo dough sheets, thawed (Leave in closed plastic wrapper until prep time.)
1-1/2 12 oz. bags frozen spinach, thawed and drained (Use a colander, covered with a dish towel or doubled cheese cloth, and place it in the sink in the morning.)
1 small onion, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic
1 .5 oz. pkg. fresh basil leaves, cut or snipped in strips to create chiffonade
1/2 tsp. marjoram
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper (or to taste)
2 TBS virgin olive oil to sauté onion

CHEESE FILLING

1/2 c. or 7 oz. feta cheese crumbles (1 small container)
1/2 c. grated Monterrey jack or pepper jack
1/2 c. or 4 oz. grated Swiss cheese
1 egg, beaten
2 TBS chopped sun-dried tomatoes (optional)
2 TBS chopped Kalamata olives
1/2 c. virgin olive oil for brushing on phyllo sheets

DIRECTIONS:

Flip the colander to empty the thawed, drained spinach onto its towel or cloth, and wring all the water out of the spinach. (Or squeeze water out by hand, one handful at a time.)
Remove one roll (half a package) of phyllo dough from freezer to thaw in the refrigerator. (You can place it in the refrigerator the night before to insure it will be completely thawed by prep time.)
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (204 degrees C).
Spray cooking oil (olive oil spray if you have it) into a 10-inch round tart, quiche, or pie dish (or 10 x 10 inch square baking pan) and set aside.
Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a medium-large skillet over medium-high heat. Sauté onions and garlic until soft, careful not to burn. Stir in spinach, basil chiffonade, and salt. Continue to sauté until mixed. Remove from heat and place in medium bowl on the counter to cool.
In a second medium bowl, add the three cheeses, chopped sun-dried tomatoes, Kalamata olives, and beaten egg. Mix thoroughly with fork and set beside spinach mixture.
Open phyllo dough and roll out package on a pastry cloth or silicone mat.
Brush the top sheet lightly with olive oil and lay in bottom of prepared baking dish. Lightly brush the next phyllo sheet with olive oil and lay in the opposite direction on top of first sheet. Repeat process with two more sheets of phyllo. The sheets will overlap the sides of the dish or pan.
Using a soup spoon, portion out one scoop of spinach mixture at a time onto the top edge of phyllo sheet, as shown.
Brush the remainder of the sheet lightly with oil, and roll up. Place the roll snugly against one side of the baking dish.

Repeat the process with cheese mixture for the next sheet. Brush with oil, roll up, and place snugly next to the first roll.

Continue alternating spinach rolls and cheese rolls until dish is full.
Brush oil on the remaining four sheets of phyllo dough, one at a time, and arrange them over the top of the rolls in alternating directions in the same way as the bottom layer was done.
Fold the top and bottom sheet layers together, tucking the overhanging dough into the dish to seal in the filling.You can use a spoon handle to tuck the sheets evenly as shown. Brush the top with oil.
Place in in preheated oven. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, until golden brown. Cut sharp, serrated knife and serve. Leftovers freeze, or reheat nicely in microwave.

About the author: Catherine A. Hamilton, a Catholic freelance writer, member of Catholic Writers Guild, and Benedictine Oblate, has a chapter in Dr. Richard Lukas’s recent book Forgotten Survivors – Polish Christians Remember the Nazi Occupation. Hamilton’s stories, articles, and poems have appeared in newspapers and magazines including The Sarasota Herald Tribune, The Oregonian, The Chicago Polish Daily, The Catholic Sentinel, and Brainstorm Magazine. Her debut novel Victoria’s War was published in June 2020 by Plain View Press.

Father's Day Novena Day 8

Danielle Bean — Fri, 19 Jun 2020 10:00:03 +0000

Please join us in prayer! This is the eighth day of our 2020 CatholicMom Father’s Day novena. Each day for nine days, we will be praying to St. Joseph, along with a different saint, asking God to bless all mothers. A different contributor will lead us in prayer each day.

Today author Marc Cardaronella, director of the Bishop Helmsing Institute for Faith Formation at the Diocese of Kansas City–St. Joseph, Missouri, shares a reflection about St. Louis Martin and leads us in prayer for Day 8 of the CatholicMom Father’s Day novena for all dads. Please pray along with us, and then tune in every morning for the newest prayer.

Novena to St. Joseph

Oh St. Joseph, whose protection is so great, so strong, so prompt before the throne of God, we place in you all of our interests and desires.

Oh St. Joseph, do assist us by your powerful intercession and obtain for us from your divine son all spiritual blessings through Jesus Christ, our Lord; so that having engaged here below your heavenly power, we may offer our thanksgiving and homage to the most loving of Fathers.

Oh St. Joseph, we never weary contemplating you and Jesus asleep in your arms. We dare not approach while he reposes near your heart. Press Him in our name and kiss his fine head for us, and ask him to return the kiss when we draw our dying breath.
Amen.

Please feel free to leave any specific prayer intentions you have in the comments. Thank you for praying with us.

St. Joseph pray for us! Mary, Queen of Peace, pray for us!

How can we pray for you? Today @MCardaronella leads us in Day 8 of our CatholicMom Father’s Day novena. Please join us!
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Daily Gospel Reflection for June 19, 2020 - Solemnity of the Sacred Heart

Emily Jaminet — Fri, 19 Jun 2020 04:01:05 +0000

Today’s Gospel: Matthew 11:25-30 – Solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus

The solution to the breakdown in our society is to devote ourselves to His Most Sacred Heart, for He invites us to be part of His Kingdom, the Kingdom of love. What would life be like if we allowed the King of Love to rule our hearts and home? Time and again we are preoccupied and consumed by the faults and failings of others such that rarely do we marvel over the gift of Jesus’s most Sacred Heart. Jesus longs to pour out grace and love into our family members and those with whom we struggle. Love is the answer. Love is the solution. The love of Christ is perfect.

We are invited to join the reign of love and spread that love to others. The Sacred Heart devotion is one of hope and healing offered by the very heart of our Lord.

We live in a culture that is deeply rooted in confusing love with what it is not. On this day, may we stop, reflect and realize that Christian love transforms a person into holiness. Jesus tells us in the Gospel, “you have hidden these things from the wise and the learned (and) you have revealed them to the childlike.” The solution to growing in holiness is not to sit around watching the news but rather to seek Christ in prayer. Learn from His ways and know that He will give us the rest we long for. The Sacred Heart is the refuge for all, and if you are feeling burdened and broken, your life will be restored through authentic and life-giving love. He longs for us to come to Him.

St. Margaret Mary Alacoque shares these words: “The adorable Heart of Jesus desires to establish His Kingdom of love in all hearts and to destroy the power of Satan. I imagine that He is so desirous of this that He promises rich rewards to those who dedicate themselves to it with all their hearts.”

Most Holy Sacred Heart of Jesus, pray for us!

The solution to growing in holiness is not to sit around watching the news but rather to seek Christ in prayer. #dailygospel By @emilyjaminet
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Ponder:

How can you grow in your love of the Sacred Heart of Jesus?

Pray:

Dear Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, lead me to Your heart, fill my heart with Your love and allow me to share that love with others.

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Learning More About the Sacred Heart of Jesus

Emily Jaminet — Thu, 18 Jun 2020 22:45:57 +0000

In this CM Hangout on FB Live, Emily Jaminet shares ideas for celebrating the Feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus (Friday, June 19 this year).

Some resources:

Litany to the Sacred Heart of Jesus

Enthronement of the Sacred Heart

12 Promises of the Sacred Heart of Jesus

Join us for this fun & inspiring CatholicMom Hangout. And be sure to add your thoughts, questions & ideas in the comments!

Join @emilyjaminet for an inspiring conversation about celebrating the Feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.
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Mixed Emotions and Resilient Hearts

Merridith Frediani — Thu, 18 Jun 2020 17:00:52 +0000

It’s true that our time on earth is a tiny dot on the line of eternity, and it’s true that time softens the sharp edges of our wounds and it’s true that when we are sad, Jesus is sad with us. These things are true and good and comforting.

It’s true that sending my children to college is the right thing for them. They will explore the world, they will discern their calling, and they will continue on their own personal journeys toward Christ.

It’s also true that sending them off feels like a part of my heart is being shredded in a cheese grater like a slab of Cheddar. Really it’s more like a wheel of Brie because my heart is soft. These are the times I yearn for a Parmesan heart — a harder cheese — one that shreds but maybe not so easily. A resilient cheese heart.

As I watched my daughter prepare to set off on her new life adventure to college across the country, I felt excitement. Her enthusiasm was catching. I also felt loss because she will no longer be living in my house. She will not come bouncing through the door or barreling down the steps shouting “Madre!” ready to tell me the story of her day. There are many things that won’t happen again for a few months, and I was sad because I like having this kid around.

I was praying a Rosary one morning, driving to work and questioning the efficacy of my prayer. I wasn’t feeling the feelings I sometimes feel I should feel while praying. I was too caught up in the impending change in family life. A thought crept its way into my head and thankfully I was already slowing to a stop because I was at a minor risk of crashing my car.

“This is how I feel,” whispered the thought.

I realized yet another parallel in being a parent and relating to God, my heavenly Father. This sadness, this hole, is akin to how God feels when we turn from Him. He misses us. I have been reading lately how much God loves and delights in us. He wants us near Him. We are His joy and He goes to exceeding lengths to get us to turn toward Him and stay. He died so we could join Him in heaven, so great is His longing for us.

We are God’s joy and He goes to exceeding lengths to get us to turn toward Him and stay. By @mariamore1289
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When I reflect on my children as toddlers, how amusing they were and how much pleasure they brought me, I wonder if it is similar to how God feels about us. We are His toddlers.

So I felt sad for a time. My daughter is one of my favorite people and she brings joy to our quotidian family life, but I know that college is not a giant cosmic black hole, sucking her in and away. I learned that when the first kid headed off to school. She will still need us just as we need her. Just as we need God, and while He doesn’t need me, He deeply desires me.

I don’t want to hurt God. I don’t want God to miss me. His love for me is immeasurably greater than my love for my children. So while this part of life is a challenge, I’m learning a lesson. When I turn from God, it hurts Him. I love Him and I don’t want to hurt the one I love so I resolve to remember this feeling and remember this lesson: God doesn’t need me, but He wants me and that is amazing.

Mary's Yes Changes Us

Sr. Margaret Kerry, fsp — Thu, 18 Jun 2020 15:30:53 +0000

Christ does not put himself alongside a person’s life but by right penetrates that person to his or her intimate depths: he is more us that we are ourselves. (Father Forlai)

Right now, Christ is not only with us during the Covid19 crises which has changed our lives in so many ways, Christ is transforming us into an icon of his life and presence. It a time when we long for knowledge of what is to come. We pray with the Psalmist, “How long O Lord?” (Psalm 35)

At prayer in chapel one day I knew I needed help to recapture my patience and to surrender my feelings of anxiety. My co-novice, Sr. Julia Darrenkamp, told me about a book that she said contained a treasure trove of insights for our spiritual life. I purchased a copy of Mary, Mother of Apostles. Now I am underlining the whole book! It is about “Christ lives in me;” it is about salvation beyond our wildest dreams. It is a book you will spend a lifetime with. If you want to know why Mary is about Jesus, this is the book for you. If you already have devotion to Mary, be prepared to wonder if you really did until now.

I also began realized this was not a book to read alone. Each sentence opened new horizons of the meaning regarding Mary’s motherhood. Her motherhood was that wonder of a “yes” pronounced in full not only to God but also to us, until Christ is formed in us. St. Paul wrote; “My dear children, for whom I am again in the pains of childbirth until Christ is formed in you” (Gal. 4:19). After just a quick read through this book I have my suspicions that Paul picked up that saying from Mary.

In only one Facebook invitation to join me for a Zoom Book Club, twelve participants signed up. During my hour of adoration, the idea of a guide took form. Along with a copy of the book a reading guide was sent out to participants with a date for our first weekly Zoom book club.

Recently Sr. Julia wrote this quote from the book on Facebook: At the cross “Mary no longer gives her Son to the world. Instead, he gives her to the Church in the person of the disciple. In this we find the greatest example of Mary’s love. When she no longer has anything to give, she allowed herself to be given by God to another. This is an incredibly profound mystery.” Today, stand next to Mary at the foot of the cross. Each one of us is the “beloved disciple” … so that Mary, the Mother of the Church is in reality Mary, the Mother of me!

Here are some of my favorite quotes (I have underlined most of the book). This book has helped me to focus on Jesus during these times of quarantine and facemasks, incessant hand washing (which usually reminds me of Hamlet’s mother). As I meditate on each passage in preparation to share with the book group, new insights arise.

The risen Jesus still incarnates himself, still gives himself in the Eucharist until the end of time, healing ills even today. He still speaks to us as to disciples – weeping, suffering, praying, loving without interruption. This is possible because I freely offer myself to him, saying, ‘Lord, I am sad, come yourself to live your sadness in me. I am consoled. Come in me to live your gratitude to the Father…’ A well lived Christian existence is that of the baptized in whom Christ relives all of his mysteries.

The Holy Spirit works this marvelous exchange that makes us contemporaries of Jesus.” This is not due to our effort or strength, “earthly events of my life are changed into Jesus’ and his eternal and glorious mysteries are exchanged with mine. We stand before a marvelous reality that makes us exclaim with St. Paul, ‘It is no longer I who live, Christ lives in me’ (Gal. 2:20).

We still patiently bear the burden of the old self while we are here on earth. We live in continual surrender and conversion.

Mary always entrusted and abandoned herself into the hands of God. Her trust grew as she closely followed the events of her son’s life in a crescendo of abandonment that reached its summit on that day of Calvary. Mary grew in the grace she already possessed. St John Euedes spoke of the Sacred Hearts not in the plural but in the singular — the Sacred Heart of Jesus and Mary. Little by little as we offer the Master hospitality in our inmost being, we arrive, without even realizing it, at the point where we ourselves are the guests, nourished and hidden in God (Col 3:3).

Download the free Mary, Mother of the Apostles Book Club Reading Guide.

Fortifying the Weaknesses of Our Hearts

Rachel M. Bulman — Thu, 18 Jun 2020 14:00:23 +0000

Sheltering in place has given many the opportunity to do a lot of bingeing on movies and television. At this point, I feel like I’ve seen everything and the kids do too. A few nights ago we sat down to watch the Wreck-it Ralph movies, and I had forgotten how good these movies were for the heart. The theme in the sequel really caught my attention.

In Ralph Breaks the Internet (spoilers ahead), there’s a lot of fun and humor that ensues, but the lightness takes a turn when Venellope discovers an online racing game called Slaughter Race. She discovers a new method of racing where everything is new and finds a desire to leave Sugar Rush and move to the online game permanently. In an effort to keep Venellope from leaving the arcade, Ralph finds a virus that he hopes will make Slaughter Race boring.

This is the part that struck me. The virus scans the new game and says over and over, “Searching for insecurities. Searching for insecurities.”

This is the motus operandi of the enemy: identifying our insecurities and making them larger than life. He prowls the earth “like a roaring lion looking for [someone]to devour” (1 Peter 5:8), and for a lion to devour someone the person would have to be vulnerable to the attack, would have to be insecure, even if just for a moment.

With Ralph, the virus (enemy) takes his insecurity and makes it much louder and much larger than it actually is.

Take our nagging insecurities. You’re a bad parent. You’re not good enough. You can’t do this. You don’t have the ability to be successful. The enemy latches onto that insecurity and makes it larger than life.

So the virus multiplies “Ralph,” but each of these new insecure Ralphs are a fraction of who he really is — only his insecurity multiplied.

At one point, the real Ralph approaches the search bar (Mr. Nosemore) and exasperatingly asks, “How did this happen?” And the search bar replies that if insecurities are left unchecked they can “destroy friendships.”

Mind. Blown.

The enemy not only hones in on my insecurities but, if left unchecked, the insecurities can become so large that they begin to define who I am. Then, we allow them to direct our lives, to ruin our relationships, to breed insecurity instead of extending healing.

St. Ignatius of Loyola he writes in the 14th Rule of Discernment that the enemy “behaves as a chief bent on conquering and robbing what he desires: for, as a captain and chief of the army, pitching his camp, and looking at the forces or defences of a stronghold, attacks it on the weakest side, in like manner the enemy of human nature, roaming about, looks in turn at all our virtues, theological, cardinal and moral; and where he finds us weakest and most in need for our eternal salvation, there he attacks us and aims at taking us.”

Like this virus in Ralph Breaks the Internet, the enemy of human nature, according to the fourteenth rule, walks about the “walls” of your heart, seeking out the insecurities and attacks through that weakness.

After Ralph’s insecurity is multiplied and distributed in the internet, it begins to attack everyone in search of Venellope. The loss of her friendship was the reason of his insecurity — losing her, being alone, was the foundation of his weakness. I think it even hearkens back to the initial Wreck-It Ralph film — perhaps losing her would affirm what he thought all along: “I’m just a bad guy.” A bad guy doesn’t have friends.

Ralph tells Venellope to save herself and she asks what he will do. And he says, “I got a date with the man in the mirror.”

Isn’t that the way to combat the enemy?

Facing the man in the mirror means that we must look within and fortify those weaknesses. If you take the insecurities and reinforce them with the truth — that you are made in the image and likeness of God, that you are beloved, that you are adored by him whom we adore — then the weaknesses disappear within his grace. Often when we find our weaknesses, we hide them. We shy away from them and not only believe them to be our definition but retreat into the isolation that the enemy extends to us (see rule thirteen). This weakness must be only mine. No one else is weak like this. If I tell anyone, they’ll think I’m crazy.

So what does Ralph do? What should we do in the face of the enemy?

He goes into this literal giant of his insecurities. He tries to kill the virus by sheer force but realizes that the only way to overcome the insecurity is to speak truth into the weakness.

“You just have to let her go. It will hurt … a lot.” Then, as Ralph finds peace in self-gift, of letting his friend go to pursue her dreams possibly without him, the virus disappears.

We must do the same. We must look our insecurities in the face and correct the lie. Weaknesses, insecurities, times when we think we are less, must be recognized for the false truth that they are.

Recognizing the lie of the enemy comes from habitual introspection, perhaps with the help of spiritual direction and/or retreat. It also requires true friendship with someone with the ability to speak the truth of our belovedness into our lives, especially when the insecurity seems daunting and we forget who we are. We must have someone to remind us of our belovedness, for it is only the beloved who can see the belovedness of others.

The Feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus

Emily Jaminet — Thu, 18 Jun 2020 12:30:07 +0000

The month of June is dedicated to the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus and on June 19 this year, we celebrate the Great Feast of the Sacred Heart. This powerful devotion is an opportunity for us to “reset” our hearts to be more like His Heart every day.

Jesus longs to heal our hearts through the grace of the Holy Spirit. Devotion to the Sacred Heart offers us a foundation of grace and strength that can stabilize us in unsteady waters. The Sacred Heart of Jesus longs to console and strengthen us. As St. Margaret Mary once said “May the peace of the adorable Heart of Jesus Christ ever fill our hearts, so that nothing may be able to disturb our serenity.” Developing a relationship with Jesus’ Heart is a devotion that will last a lifetime. While Jesus transforms our hearts, we also discover that we can console the Heart of Jesus through our love and sacrifices.

Jesus offered His Heart to St. Margaret Mary during a vision in the late 1670’s. He offers His Heart to us today as the source of grace, the fount of all love to renew and restore us. Jesus tells St. Margaret Mary, “Do thou know why I give you My graces in such abundance? To make of you a sanctuary in which the fire of My love may continually burn.”

This powerful quote reminds us that Jesus wants to fill us with His love and have His Heart, within our heart, be the sacred altar where nothing dishonored, corrupt or sinful can exist. Jesus’ Heart is where we go for our Heart transplant, where we replace our sinful heart with His. Through this devotion, we can love like Jesus, be like Jesus, and allow our hearts to be living tabernacles of love. We read in holy Scripture that God wants to dwell in our hearts, “Do you not know that you are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?” (1 Cor 3:16). This great feast of the Sacred Heart is a powerful reminder of how the Lord desires to dwell within us.

This great feast of the Sacred Heart is a powerful reminder of how the Lord desires to dwell within us. By @emilyjaminet
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May the Feast of the Sacred Heart be a reminder of how much the Lord loves you. Without love we are empty vessels. We need the love of God to strengthen, renew, and guide us on our journey. This feast day was established to bring our attention to His Most Sacred Heart and have us to pause in the midst of our busy lives to be restored and renewed. Consider going to Mass on this day, praying the Litany of the Sacred Heart, or the Holy Heart of Jesus Prayer below.

O most holy Heart of Jesus, fountain of every blessing, I adore You, I love You, and with a lively sorrow for my sins, I offer You this poor heart of mine. Make me humble, patient, pure, and wholly obedient to Your will. Grant, good Jesus, that I may live in You and for You. Protect me in the midst of danger and comfort me in my afflictions. Give me health of body, assistance in my temporal needs, Your blessing on all that I do, and the grace of a holy death. Amen. (From Enthronement to the Sacred Heart by Fr. Francis Larkin)

Celebrating 100 Episodes of Catholic Momcast #100

Danielle Bean — Thu, 18 Jun 2020 11:00:35 +0000

To listen to this week’s podcast, simply hit “play” above, or subscribe in iTunes!

Join us for a fun show where Allison Gingras, Danielle Bean, and Lisa Hendey look back at the first 100 episodes of the Catholic Momcast, sharing favorite moments and memories. We also take a look ahead at the next 100 shows and offer ideas for where we might go from here.

What has been your favorite episode of the Catholic Momcast? What topics would you like to see in the future? Send us your feedback and your ideas at editor@catholicmom.com.

We are celebrating 100 episodes of the #CatholicMomcast with @DanielleBean, @LisaHendey, and @reconciledtoyou. Join the fun!
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Learn about our other Catholic Momcast episodes.

Daily Gospel Reflection for June 18, 2020

Gospel Reflections Team — Thu, 18 Jun 2020 10:31:58 +0000

Reflection by Colette Lafia

Today’s Gospel: Matthew 6:7-15

Although I’ve been praying the Our Father since I was a young girl, I find that this prayer continues to unfold and keeps on giving. We can never fully grasp the meaning of “Thy will be done,” but rather live into these words, moment by moment and day by day, through every up and down, and every joy and sorrow. Over time, the words that Jesus taught us slowly break open and reveal their meaning to our receptive hearts and minds.

This prayer is a true gift to each of us individually, as well as to us as a community. Notice that in the Our Father, Jesus uses the collective “us” and “we” to emphasize that this powerful prayer is one we share. It’s a communal prayer, which is recited after the Eucharistic Prayer in the order of the Mass. At my church, Saint Ignatius Parish, the pastor will intentionally lower his microphone during the recitation of the Our Father, allowing the parishioners’ voices to join together in unison. It’s such a lovely moment in which this familiar prayer unifies the community in a medley of high and low voices, deep and soft voices, young and old voices, all becoming one collective body in prayer.

Joyce Rupp, in her excellent book, Prayer, writes, “We are mistaken if we think we can grow spiritually by our own efforts. This is actually the opposite of how prayer works. In prayer, we bring ourselves to the entryway of our relationship with the Holy One, but it is God who is able to accomplish far more than all we can ask or imagine. We trust in Jesus’s words, when he tells us, ‘Your Father knows what you need before you ask him.’”

Notice that in the Our Father, Jesus uses the collective “us” and “we” to emphasize that this powerful prayer is one we share. By @ColetteLafia
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Ponder:

What word or phrase in the Our Father is speaking to you at this time in your life? And what does it mean to you?

Pray:

Holy One, join my voice in prayer with all those seeking peace, forgiveness, and to live in Your love.

Colette Lafia is a San Francisco-based spiritual director, workshop leader, and writer. She is the author of Seeking Surrender: How a Trappist Monk Taught Me to Trust and Embrace Life, and Comfort & Joy: Simple Ways to Care for Ourselves and Others. Colette has a passion for helping people connect more deeply with the presence of the sacred in their daily lives and blogs about it at www.colettelafia.com.

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Father's Day Novena Day 7

Danielle Bean — Thu, 18 Jun 2020 10:00:30 +0000

Please join us in prayer! This is the seventh day of our 2020 CatholicMom Father’s Day novena. Each day for nine days, we will be praying to St. Joseph, along with a different saint, asking God to bless all mothers. A different contributor will lead us in prayer each day.

Today Fr. Edward Looney, best-selling author and a priest in the Diocese of Green bay Wisconsin, shares a reflection about St. Bernardine and leads us in prayer for Day 7 of our Father’s Day Novena for all dads. Please pray along with us, and then tune in every morning for the newest prayer.

Novena to St. Joseph

Oh St. Joseph, whose protection is so great, so strong, so prompt before the throne of God, we place in you all of our interests and desires.

Please feel free to leave any specific prayer intentions you have in the comments. Thank you for praying with us.

St. Joseph pray for us! Mary, Queen of Peace, pray for us!

How can we pray for you? Today @fredwardlooney leads us in Day 7 of our CatholicMom Father’s Day novena. Please join us!
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I am a Prodigal Daughter

Laura K. Roland — Wed, 17 Jun 2020 17:00:38 +0000

When I was middle school religion teacher a student once asked me why she didn’t feel God close to her. “Where did he go? Is He mad at me?”

I replied, “God never moves away. He is constant and always present. In my experience, it is because we fear He won’t love us in our sinfulness and closed hearts that we move away from Him. Once you realize what’s happening, well that’s half of the battle. You just need to take one small step in His direction. His arms will find you and bridge the gap.”

Would that I had remembered those words myself these past few months I might have experienced a lot more peace and rest, a lot less weariness and anxiety. Before I realized what happened, I found myself asking the same question – why didn’t I feel God close to me anymore? His peaceful, quieting presence had been replaced by an unnerving silence broken only by my own voice, seeking not His will but the world’s. I had moved away both physically and spiritually from God, and as is always the case when a space is vacated something inevitably fills it. Sometimes you don’t even notice the shift until it’s almost too late, the space in your heart that once held loveliness now filled with nothing.

When COVID hit, regular opportunities to attend Mass, receive the Eucharist, and go to confession taken away, the shift came hard and fast. My daily prayers started to become more like occasional prayer, then once a week and finally no regular prayer at all. My Bible, usually opened with a highlighter and journal sitting next to it, got closed and put on the shelf as I was uninspired to become inspired by the words God had for me in that beautiful book. By the time the world awoke to the news of the death of George Floyd, what was my usual optimistic and encouraging disposition became sarcastic and jaded. The jagged edges of my soul, softened over the years by the myriad of graces received through regular prayer and the sacraments, returned. I was raw and too tightly wound. I became untouchable.

With no voice to listen to except my own, the question of why I was so numb, so tired, so weary, went unanswered. I shut down but no one noticed. Well, no one except me.

I don’t really know what prompted me to pick up my June copy of Magnificat the other day. But I did. Reading the prayers and readings that had gone unprayed and unread this past month, I remembered that conversation with my student all those years ago. I began searching for words that would help me take that one small step back to God. There in the middle of page 71, I found this simple yet profound reminder of my way home in Psalm 116:7, “Turn back, my soul, to your rest.”

In all the tumult and turmoil, rawness and numbness, I had wanted someone to tell me what to do and that I was going to be okay. It was somehow easier to turn outward to find that solace and direction, not inward where God resides. The idea of turning my soul back towards him then, meant a willful surrender of the screen in my hand, replacing it with that Bible sitting closed on my shelf. For I know that I know that I know the only place to find true solace is in the Word. It is there that I find true rest. And comfort. And a clear call to action. And practical next steps. It is here that I am reminded that I am His beloved.

It was somehow easier to turn outward to find solace and direction, not inward where God resides.
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Inspired to read the rest of Psalm 116, I realized the psalmist wrote it as a prayer of thanksgiving for being spared from death. That is what I had been feeling then – a kind of death. The world will do that to you; God does not.

Turning back, seeing God’s arms stretched out for me, time and time again is proof of that. I realized today that I am truly a prodigal daughter, longing to return my soul to Him to rest.

Deeply and Differently

Sheri Wohlfert — Wed, 17 Jun 2020 15:30:05 +0000

The God of all grace who called you to his eternal glory through Christ [Jesus] will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you after you have suffered a little. (1 Peter 5:10)

There is a great story about a little girl whose mother sent her to the store to pick up an important item. She told the little girl to come directly home after she picked it up. Much to the mother’s dismay, her daughter was nearly two hours late returning home. When she arrived, she apologized for taking so long and explained that she ran into her friend, who was crying because her doll was broken. The little girl was so sad about it that she just had to stop and help her friend. Her mother asked her how she helped fix the doll, and she replied that she didn’t. She didn’t know anything about fixing dolls, so she just sat down and helped her friend cry.

I’m feeling a lot like that little girl lately! As we wait to return to something, anything, that has even a smidge of familiar, the days are getting long and the rules are getting heavy. I’ve chatted with several folks this week and it seems all I could do was help them cry. We’ve cried about disappointments, missed occasions, watered-down celebrations and flat out dismay. We’re frazzled, contained and running out of cheerful creative energy. Parents are tired of teaching and working and juggling a house full of needs, wants and worries.

If we’re being honest, we may be getting a little sick of each other, and blanket forts and sidewalk chalk have lost all appeal. We cook 432 times a day, we can’t seem to get enough toilet paper, and for crying out loud why are we out of Cheez-Its and apples AGAIN? It will get better, but maybe the best thing we can do right now is just sit down and help someone cry! At our core we want to be compliant, we want to be obedient, we want to be logical, but most of us just want to bail off this crazy bus!

I can make a list of a bazillion great things that have come out of this quarantine but right now it’s OK if we’re feeling a little “over it all.” My mom used to say the best thing to do with feelings is just sit still and feel them. Let them wash over you and spit out what you’re thinking. Make a list of all the things your mourning, mad about, disappointed about and feel you were cheated out of. Feel it all … acknowledge it all and realize we have all felt this thing deeply and differently. It’s OK if you’re toast … it’s OK if you’re enjoying the quiet … it’s OK if you are worried and fearful enough to not want to leave home yet. ITS OK! Let’s stop judging reactions and just cry or laugh or pray with each other right where we are.

I read a little something that said during times of great testing (like right now!) three things happen. God is able to reveal, to purify and to strengthen. In order for those things to happen we have to “sweep the emotional porch.” Let it all out and then take a look at what God might be doing or might be wanting to do. That purging of emotion will allow us to move forward so we can receive the gifts from our suffering.

Through our suffering, Almighty God …

Reveals. What have you learned about yourself during this trial? What is clearer to you now than before? Where are you stronger than you knew and more tender than you thought?

Purifies. If I want this suffering to bring me closer to God I have to think about where I place my hope? The place I put my hope reveals the source of my security. Am I looking to the governor or my spouse or the newscaster to bring me hope, or am I seeking the pure and true hope of the Father?

Strengthens. Where is my strength coming from? Do I feel strong only on those days I’m able to pull myself up by the bootstraps and slap on a happy face? Strength isn’t defined by not yelling at the kids or screaming at the screen about the latest goofy prediction or scenario. Strength comes from the praise and honor we give the Father in the middle of all that. Strength comes from the Father, not from ourselves. The more we ask, rely and beg for His strength, the more we step out of ourselves and into His loving protection.

Our trials are not without purpose, and maybe the three gifts of suffering might help our perspective a little. By @joyfulsheri
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Our trials are not without purpose, and maybe the three gifts of suffering might help our perspective a little.

A Seed To Plant: Feel your feelings and find someone to help you cry or yell or pout your way through it all so you can see the work he’s waiting to do through the three gifts of suffering.

Blessings on your day!

The Kindness of a Stranger: Our First Trip Back Inside a Restaurant

Kaitlyn Clare Mason — Wed, 17 Jun 2020 14:00:47 +0000

The other day, my children and I found ourselves parked outside a Cracker Barrel. We were traveling and needed a place to rest for awhile, so we pulled into the parking lot.

I noticed a sign that said, “Dining Room Open,” and I was shocked. I hadn’t seen a restaurant dining room open in months.

We needed to be at this exit for about an hour and a half until my parents arrived to meet us, and I couldn’t think of anywhere else to eat in the world that could possibly take up so much of our time. So, we decided to pull out our lovely Cracker Barrel gift cards from Christmas, and we headed inside for a warm meal in real, wooden chairs, next to a real, wood-burning fireplace.

It honestly felt like a little piece of Heaven after months of not sitting anywhere in public.

I helped our three little children into their chairs and buckled our fourth little one into her high chair. There weren’t any peg toys on the table, or crayons to color with, so I whipped out a few pens and we colored on napkins while we waited for our menus.

I was very aware that when my littlest one started crying, people seemed happy with this … it was almost like everyone had been hidden away in their homes for a few months or something.

Everyone seemed so happy to see and hear babies and children loudly expressing themselves again. (This is not always our typical experience in public. Side note – as my Dad has said before, my son would make an excellent auctioneer.)

I ordered a giant lemonade for us to split, and quickly realized that a single pancake on the children’s menu cost $4.00, which is fine – but meanwhile, an $8.00 adult meal provided 3 pancakes, scrambled eggs, and 3 slices of bacon … so that’s a no-brainer, right?

We asked for a couple of extra plates & ordered meals from the big menu to share.

Well, all this time, there was an elderly man sitting a couple tables away from us. The table between us was closed so that everyone could be spaced far apart in the dining room. So his seat directly faced where we sat.

After he finished his meal, the man came over and told me, “You sure have your hands full.”

It’s sometimes hard to tell at this point whether someone is happy to see us all together as a family, or annoyed that we’re standing in the way of their shopping cart or something.

I’ve learned to just smile.

So, I smiled, and said my typical response these days … that yes, I do have my hands full, and we also have another baby coming in a few months!

This is where people usually make some odd comment about how we must be Mormon or something (we’re Catholic), or they will make a face, or walk away.

But this man just smiled, and he looked at all of my children seated at the table together surrounding me. And I saw his eyes starting to tear up.

“You guys remind me of my family growing up,” he said. “Of all of us when we used to sit and eat with my mother … and I just want you to know I’m paying for your meal. And the tip, and everything.”

And as he started to cry just a little bit, he walked away.

“Thank you so much!” I said. “You don’t have to do that, but thank you very much. That’s very kind of you!”

He turned back, and I asked him if he had a lot of brothers and sisters.

“Nine,” he said. And he smiled a very big smile, and his eyes welled up with tears as he left.

I pictured him sitting at the table as a little boy, one of ten children, with a mother serving them meals on ten little plates, pouring drinks, and tending to their needs.

Now time had sped forward, and he was all grown up. And now, here I was, a mother, with little ones surrounding me, and one more growing within.

This man was well-loved as a child. And he knew it.

He was probably in his late 70s, so I would bet that not all of his brothers and sisters are still living – his parents, too.

Do we know how good we have it? Do we realize the blessings all around us? By @kaitlyncmason
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Do we know how good we have it, guys? Do we realize the blessings all around us? The babies crying, the straws falling on the floor, the spilled drinks, the chaos of raising children – one, or two, or ten?

I was completely in awe of the kindness of this stranger.

And now, it’s our turn to pass it on …

Top Family TV Picks From 'Boy Mom' Lisa Hendey

Lisa M. Hendey — Wed, 17 Jun 2020 12:30:09 +0000

I’ve lived most of my life in a home where my entertainment choices were dictated by the men with whom I watch television. This means that as a wife who’s been married for almost 34 years, and a mom of two now-grown sons, my knowledge of programming such as Frozen, Dora the Explorer and the Gilmore Girls is woefully inadequate. Ask me about our family’s favorite viewing options over the years and I automatically have a “boy mom” bias. That being said, I’d stand by any of the following TV shows as some great family-friendly favorites that have stood the test of time.

LOST

When it debuted in the Fall of 2004, LOST immediately became “must see” television for our family. We loved it so much that we’d often rewatch episodes to look for hidden clues. It was actually LOST that helped me to discover a new technology called the “podcast,” where we could listen to viewers of the show dig into all of the secrets of the island.

Some of the episodes in the middle of the six season run were less than stellar, but LOST taught our family about the art of storytelling, how to battle a “smoke monster,” and the fact that lots of people have secrets that may or may not be obvious.

All of LOST is available to stream for free on Amazon’s ad-supported IMDB TV streaming service, available on IMDB and Fire TV. For a fee, episodes are available on Amazon Prime, YouTube, iTunes, Google Play, Vudu, and Hulu.

Hornblower

We discovered the Hornblower series, based on the British Maritime novels by C. S. Forester, not when they originally aired on television but rather when the moved to DVD. Some might call the stories of Horatio Hornblower “movies,” but actor Ioan Gruffudd’s naval officer Hornblower sees his life’s story play out across the totality of the series. So they deserve to be binged in their proper order. While the boys in my home introduced us to Hornblower — and I don’t typically like military content — I loved every minute of this hero’s journey.

The Hornblower movies are indeed available on DVD, including from Amazon; many episodes are also on YouTube.

Little House on the Prairie

I doubt any of my “guys” would add Little House on the Prairie to their list of family favorites, but this pick is a nod to my family of origin. I’m the eldest of five children, so I naturally related to Mary Ingalls and her many adventures with her sister in and around Walnut Grove, Minnesota, during the last decades of the 19th Century. Little House taught us that even families who had little materially could be rich in love. I believe the series has withstood the test of time.

You can watch Little House on the Prairie on IMDB TV/Amazon, on the cable network UPtv, and on YouTube.

Survivor

I’ve saved the best for last. While my children wouldn’t say Survivor is their favorite television show, they sat with me weekly to watch Mom’s favorite. Having just watch Season 40 Winners at War with my husband, I will still say that Survivor is my favorite viewing option.

The game challenges castaways to “outwit, outplay and outlast” to earn a cash reward. But what’s clear on every season of Survivor is the fact that those who participate in the grueling 39-day experience almost always walk away with an enhanced appreciation for the things that matter most in life: family, friends and a sense of purpose.

And just in case he’s reading this blog post, I’ll remind executive producer and best-host-ever Jeff Probst that my audition tape has been submitted, and that I’m ready to go to the island whenever you need me!

Survivor continues on CBS Network, and can be watched on CBS.com and CBS All Access, along with Hulu and, for a fee, on Amazon Prime Video and YouTube.

Here’s the trailer for the current season, Survivor: Winners at War:

Copyright 2020 Lisa M. Hendey
Image: Shutterstock; licensed for use by Family Theater Productions, where this article was originally published.

Distracted in Prayer

Deanna Bartalini — Wed, 17 Jun 2020 11:00:43 +0000

Are you distracted when praying?

There are many reasons for answering yes to that question. Rather than list mine, which could take up a whole paragraph, let’s agree there are reasons and a way to deal with them would be good. I’m not saying overcome the reasons, because that would probably require conversation between us. I do think what I propose though, can be of help in dealing with distractions. And it can work with everyone in your family, from the oldest to the youngest pray-er!

We are going to pray using ACTS. It is a way to pray, a little formula you can use to get on track and stay focused.

ACTS stands for Adoration, Contrition, Thanksgiving and Supplication. Let’s look briefly at each of these.

A: we adore God, praising His holy Name and letting Him know that we know that He is God.

C: we say we are sorry and ask forgiveness for the wrongs we have done. Not to beat ourselves up, but to be honest. And yes, of course, God knows what we have done, but with humility it’s good to admit it to Him. This way we can get it out in the open and takes steps to correct our behavior.

T: God has given us everything! So we thank Him for the problem resolved easily, the quick trip to work, our children’s success, our health, whatever comes to mind. Thank Him for whatever comes to mind.

S: and now we get to the asking for what we need. Just as it’s a bit rude or presumptuous to start a conversation with a friend without asking them if they have time to talk and are well, it’s really the same with God. Wait to ask for your needs and the needs of those you love and those for whom you’ve promised to pray.

As an FYI, I didn’t make this acronym up and could not find the origin of it. A priest taught it to me years ago and I pass it on to you. I hope this process is helpful to you!

If you’d prefer, you can listen to me talk about this on the Not Lukewarm Podcast.

Download and print a free guide to praying with ACTS.

Use ACTS when you are distracted in prayer. By @notlukewarm316
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Father's Day Novena Day 6

Danielle Bean — Wed, 17 Jun 2020 10:00:32 +0000

Please join us in prayer! This is the sixth day of our 2020 CatholicMom Father’s Day novena. Each day for nine days, we will be praying to St. Joseph, along with a different saint, asking God to bless all mothers. A different contributor will lead us in prayer each day.

Today Nathan Ahearne, writer and CatholicMom contributor, shares a reflection about St. Marcellin Champagnat and leads us in prayer for all dads. Please pray along with us, and then tune in every morning for the newest prayer.

Novena to St. Joseph

Oh St. Joseph, whose protection is so great, so strong, so prompt before the throne of God, we place in you all of our interests and desires.

Please feel free to leave any specific prayer intentions you have in the comments. Thank you for praying with us.

St. Joseph pray for us! Mary, Queen of Peace, pray for us!

How can we pray for you? Today Nathan Ahearne leads us in Day 6 of our CatholicMom Father’s Day novena. Please join us!
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