Something Beautiful

Something Beautiful 

I came across this song tonight as I was doing the blog and decided that this was something I needed to hear tonight and maybe it is what I should be posting and then tomorrow the other blog post. 

Until tomorrow, God Bless, and find that something beautiful in your life. 

"Something Beautiful"

In your ocean, I'm ankle deep

I feel the waves crashin' on my feet

It's like I know where I need to be

But I can't figure out, yeah I can't figure out

Just how much air I will need to breathe

When your tide rushes over me

There's only one way to figure out

Will ya let me drown, will ya let me drown

Hey now, this is my desire

Consume me like a fire, 'cause I just want something beautiful

To touch me, I know that I'm in reach

'Cause I am down on my knees, I'm waiting for something beautiful

Oh, something beautiful

And the water is risin' quick

And for years I was scared of it

We can't be sure when it will subside

So I won't leave your side, no I can't leave your side

Hey now, this is my desire

Consume me like a fire, 'cause I just want something beautiful

To touch me, I know that I'm in reach

'Cause I am down on my knees, I'm waiting for something beautiful

Oh, something beautiful

In a daydream, I couldn't live like this

I wouldn't stop until I found something beautiful

When I wake up, I know I will have

No, I still won't have what I need

Hey now, this is my desire

Consume me like a fire, 'cause I just want something beautiful

To touch me, I know that I'm in reach

'Cause I am down on my knees, I'm waiting for something beautiful

Oh, something beautiful [fade out]

Abandon

Abandon

    When I heard the song “Live with Abandon” by Newsboys, I thought that is how I want my life to be. I want to be like the Apostles that left all and turned over everything to follow Jesus. It is wanting my life to count, each and everyday with regards to the Trinity and my Catholic Faith. That “Abandon” that the songs speaks of is that complete surrender, turning everything over, and not looking back but forward. Allowing Jesus to lead and guide us.

   I have come to a place in my life, that the world itself does not fill me but instead makes me feel empty. It really has most of my life. I filled it with things and people that only seemed to satisfy me but so much of the world now makes me tired. There seems to be a trend with myself with pulling back from the world. There is a feeling of not wanting to be so wrapped up in it.  Things that I would focus on or stress over have faded. 

    There is one line of the song that hits a nerve for myself. The words “ A higher calling that I missed” have been felt for me for a long time on and off. There is a burning in my soul for a long long time that I wanted to serve Jesus and the Church. I wanted to be part of spreading the “Good News” and the Faith. Things changed and that got lost and buried for a long time. Now I wonder if that “calling” was missed and now there is something different for me. Does Jesus say “ You missed that option I had before you and now you can not go back to it” or “ You had that option and its lost”. Maybe it is not missed but still waits for me to abandon this life. 

     I am trying to discern that complete abandon in my life. Is that abandon one that brings me to the Priesthood or work within the Church? It is an internal struggle for me at this point and I want to make the choice that is right. Each one of us are called to abandon ourselves. It may not be in the same way but turning over our hearts is that key factor. 

     It is not looking back, your done with what you were doing and all that you want to do is give it all to Jesus. That is a life of abandon. What is it that you need to abandon and be able to give all to Jesus? Turn off the world and really ask yourself that and why is that holding things up for you. I know I have been doing this almost daily and day by day things become clearer. I know life has changed and some parts I have abandoned and there are still more to abandon.

Until tomorrow, God Bless, and when you abandon thing of this life you will gain more from Jesus. 

Live with Abandon

Live with Abandon

I heard this song today and I am just going to post the video and lyrics and wait till tomorrow to comment on the song itself and the reason why I want this to be the song for the next stage of my life. 

Until tomorrow, God Bless, and may we all live a life of Jesus. 

Chasing after this world makes me tired
Praisin’ my own name leaves me dry

There’s gotta be so much more to life than this
A higher calling that I missed
I want my life to count, every breath

I wanna live with abandon
Give You all that I am
Every part of my heart Jesus
I place in Your hands
I wanna live with abandon

I’ll drop everything to follow You
It’s only Your hands I hold onto

There’s gotta be more to life than this
A higher calling that I missed
I want my life to count, every breath

I’m not looking back
I’m done with that
Wanna give You all I have

Call on Prayers

Call on Prayers

   This week the seminarians of the Dioceses of Trenton will be on retreat.  I am asking that we all keep them in prayer this week and to keep all seminarians in our prayers each day. May they grow closer to their vocation.

    Also, World Youth Day starts this week on the 23rd and I again ask to keep all those who are attending the events. May they grow closer to God and their faith as the week goes on. 

Until tomorrow, God Bless, and may we turn to prayer for those around us. 

Build Your Kingdom Here

Build Your Kingdom Here

   The song "Build Your Kingdom Here" by Rend Collective Experiment is an upbeat positive song that will lift your spirits and set your soul a blaze. We all seek that connection with Jesus that makes us desire His loving and healing touch. We want to hunger and thirst for Him, who only satisfies us. The power of God is needed to pour out onto us all so we can build that Kingdom with a clean and powerful soul. The church is within all of us and withut us the church is an empty place. I have included the video and the lyrics. Hope you like it.

Until tomorrow, God Bless, and be that place where the Kingdom can be built on. 

Come set Your rule and reign In our hearts again Increase in us we pray Unveil why we're made Come set our hearts ablaze with hope Like wildfire in our very souls Holy Spirit come invade us now We are Your Church We need Your power In us We seek Your kingdom first We hunger and we thirst Refuse to waste our lives For You're our joy and prize To see the captive hearts released The hurt; the sick; the poor at peace We lay down our lives for Heaven's cause We are Your church We pray revive This Earth Build Your kingdom here Let the darkness fear Show Your mighty hand Heal our streets and land Set Your church on fire Win this nation back Change the atmosphere Build Your kingdom here We pray Unleash Your kingdom's power Reaching the near and far No force of hell can stop Your beauty changing hearts You made us for much more than this Awake the kingdom seed in us Fill us with the strength and love of Christ We are Your church We are the hope  On Earth

"Preaching to the Choir"

"Preaching to the Choir"

   How many time have you heard the phrase " Your preaching to the choir"? I bet you have even said it yourself. The phrase can make one feel that they are wasting their time or the message is lost to those who already know it. In reality, especially in this day and age, we can not assume it is the case. Just because we see someone in church or in ministries it does not mean they got the massage or that they do not need to hear it. 

     The assumption is that those outside of the church need the message more then those in but let's face the facts. For people to have left the church, they had to be in the church first to do so. They were part of that choir that we speak about when we say that phrase. I am not saying that we do not need to go out and spread the Gospel but as we go out make sure we have people left back to preach it to the choir as well. Jesus did go out after the lost sheep, but He also left the other sheep together as a group as well. We are to help guide one another as well. What do we gain if we bring one in as one leaves? It is the mission to go out and also keep the choir in the meantime. 

    The other area is that how can we go out and evangelize unless we are first evangelized ourselves? If the body of the church is not nourished spiritually, emotionally, physically and mentally then how do we expect those to go out and be able to do and preach the faith? If we do not organize the choir, give them the songs sheets, then what can we really expect of them. Come Sunday the "people of the choir " will sing whatever each one thinks, some may show up late or not at all, go off and get the songs from someone else or just stand there and not sing. If that's the case then why have a choir? 

     Just because someone comes to mass, goes to a prayer group, belongs to a ministry etc.... It does not mean that they are good to go and no care is needed. When that seed is planted and the roots take hold, the gardener doesn't say “ok my job is done”. The plant needed the same care as it did before. It must be watered, weeds need to be cleared, soil needs to be nourished. If these things are not done then the plant dies. It is the same for the faith of us all. If it is not taken care of then it may start to die. When this starts people can leave the church and even look for another church to cultivate their faith. 

    It is more then just getting the pews filled. It is about the hearts in the pews being opened to the Trinity, the Eucharist, Mary, Reconciliation, the Saints and the Faith itself. This is not a mission of numbers but a mission of conversions of the Mind, Heart and Soul. It is a dual mission that is inside the walls and outside of the church. One is not more important then the other. Each one of us can aid in this mission. 

      I have been looking around at those at mass, adoration, benediction and what I see is the past, the future and present day church and each has their own faith journey. We all bring the body of the church into action and with that our Faith. We all need to be reminded at times the missions of the Faith. To grow in faith, we must work on it and how else do we get that but through being part of that “choir” or the one preaching to it. 

     The last thing I will say is this:

   

      Did Jesus say to the twelve Apostles “ Ok, you guys have heard me preach before so you stay here and I will talk to them over there” or to the people who followed Jesus “ Listen, you heard this before, you all are ok and good to go. No reason to hear it again”. Of course NOT.... and why is that? It is because we all need to be reminded, learn more, go deeper, strengthen the faith, hold onto the message, and hear Him in our hearts. There is no preaching to the choir to me anymore. It is just helping my fellow brothers and sisters in Christ so that we all can be strength to preach the Good News inside and outside of the church. 

Until tomorrow, God Bless, and may all the choirs sing of the Good News. 

Warning Labels

Warning Labels

     I am starting to think that Warning Labels should be placed outside the Church doors, adoration chapels, on rosaries, and the bible. It should say for both the Church and Adoration Chapel : 

Warning: Entering here may cause your life to change. You may seek a deeper connection with Jesus and your faith. The more you attend these during the week the deeper that connection may get and you may experience an unquenchable thirst for The Holy Trinity and Your Faith. These side effects are not life threatening but will cause an everlasting life with in your soul. Enter at your own souls salvation. 

For the Rosary, Reading the Bible or any other devotion it should say:

Warning: Using these items or reading prayers may cause you to seek the guidance of those who have gone before you in the Faith. You may seek to get closer to these people (saints) to aid you in your journey to Heaven. These relationships may lift up your prayers to the heavens so be careful as to what you are praying for. The more you seek guidance the closer your soul will be to heaven. 

     We often think that warning labels tell us what dangers there are using or taking something but in reality they are used to prepare us for what is to come or what to watch out for. These “Warning Labels” are not to keep people away but to let them understand the power that they serve to bring us closer to the Trinity, our Faith and in the end, to Heaven. As Catholics, we have this great arsenal to protect our souls from being taken and becoming part of the world. With in each of these things we are able to use and call upon the power of the Trinity, Our Mother Mary, Our Faith and the Saints to stand before us, behind us and most importantly within us and keep us moving on the path of salvation. 

     In the case of “warning” it is to say “these are not your ordinary, but the extraordinary gifts of the faith.” Using the gifts of the Faith will change your life, if you are open. We have to be prepared for these things to happen so we do not overlook or underestimate the power of the Faith. When that stirring comes from within you, you need to know that it is the Holy Spirit moving and working and if you do not know this may happen then it will be explained away. It allows us the chance to embrace what is possible and know that it is not just us but Someone Greater then us. 

     Next time when you enter mass, go to adoration, read from the bible, pray to the saints or anything you do that is an expression of the Catholic Faith, stop ..... pause.... and think about the power that is before you, the power with in the words you read or say, or the power within your hands. Think about how all of those things have changed, moved, shaped and redirected your life. The Catholic Faith gives us the most powerful of all things in the Eucharist and from that summit many others that can lead us to heaven. Remember to stop, pause, and see the power.

Until tomorrow, God Bless, and remember you were warned of the power that is at all of our grasps.