Thoughts Along the Journey

In the midst of unprecedented persecution of Christians, racial hostilities, terrorist attacks, fires, floods, and the craziest presidential election in U.S. history...I offer you this song.  Because if we ever needed God...the time is now.

Thus says the Lord : “A voice is heard in Ramah, lamentation and bitter weeping. Rachel is weeping for her children; she refuses to be comforted for her children, because they are not.” Jeremiah 31:13 My heart is sorrowing today.  I am filled with grief over senseless deaths. If you have followed the Kermit Gosnell trial at all, you have heard some things too horrendous for words.  Thousands of abortions performed in unsanitary conditions.  Women's lives endangered.  Living, breathing babies killed after delivery.  Grisly details given by employees at his "clinic."  If you live in my area, or just about any area of the United States, you will have heard the stories of young people who have taken their own lives.  Thinking that life is useless and there is no hope, they choose what they consider the only way "out."  I have friends who have lost children, grandchildren, and friends.  My oldest son is at a funeral home tonight.  A...

" 'I say to you, one of you will betray Me.' " Matthew 26:21b This follows closely with my post from yesterday. What is the difference, though, between denying Christ and betraying Him? Honestly, I don't know if there really is a difference. However, the results of Peter's denial and the betrayal by Judas seem to be worlds apart, don't they? After all, Peter only said he didn't know Jesus. Judas gave Jesus over to the Jewish leaders, which resulted in Jesus' crucifixion. I wonder, though. The servant girl and the others who heard Peter's denial...did it keep them from believing in Jesus? Did they look at Peter and think, "Wow. If someone who knew Him that well turns on Him, how good could He really be?" That, coupled with the fact that their leaders found Him guilty...did it keep them from faith, too? We will probably never know the answer to that question, as far as Peter is concerned. But what about us? Do those who know we profess...

We were able to attend daily Mass this morning. After receiving Eucharist, a verse came to mind: (I'm giving the context. The highlighted part is the focus of this post.) "I now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up in my flesh what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ, for the sake of His body, which is the church, of which I became a minister according to the stewardship from God which was given to me for you, to fulfill the word of God, the mystery which has been hidden from ages and from generations, but now has been revealed to His saints. To them God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: which is Christ in you, the hope of glory ." (Colossians 1:24-27) Ponder that today, my friend. CHRIST is in you, the hope of glory. Wow...