Words from Fr Ed (From August 7th, 2011 Bulletin)

“Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid.” - Matthew 14:27

Jesus’ words to the disciples on the Sea of Galilee, “Take courage…”, ought to encourage us as well. Identifying the voice of Christ as our primary inspiration is vital to our spiritual life as Catholics. It is really His voice and God’s grace that help us persevere in our faith. The grace of God acts like gravity in the earth’s core, holding us close to where we belong.

Someone said to me just yesterday, “I don’t know where I belong.” OK, then let gravity, spiritual gravity that is, have its effect. The truth is, as Jesus says, “No one can come to me unless the Father draws him…” (Jn 6:44) But Paul also says that God, “…wills all to be saved and to come to knowledge of the truth.” (1 Tim 2:4) This ‘draw’ then is available to everyone.

St. Thomas Aquinas writes in his Summa Theologica (see www.newadvent.org) that all are ordered towards happiness as their last end. (Summa, Pt. I-II, Q1, Art 7) We believe as Christians that God’s will is our greatest instrument of our happiness, which would be our sanctification. All our actions ought to seek to conform with this great truth so that we can fearlessly follow Christ, who is the Way, the Truth, and the Life.

Mystery of Love Award Goes to a New Documentary on the Porn Industry

The documentary film, Out of Darkness, won the Mystery of Love Award at the 2011 John Paul II International Film Festival in Miami. I was impressed and moved by the trailer, which shows the tragedy of the porn industry. Sadly, many are trapped in various aspects of this criminal behavior. There will be a screening of this film at World Youth Day in Spain on August 17. You can see the promotional at http://anteroompictures.com/.

World Youth Day is Coming

World Youth Day is from August 16-21. You can follow it closely at http://www.madrid11.com/en or http://usccb.org/wyd/.

Commandments for Husbands and Fathers (continued)

IX.  Pray that each one of your children may answer the call to the vocation that Almighty God has chosen for him or her from all eternity. … Ask each child, “What do you think God is calling you to be?” Help them to discern their states-in-life, whether it be singlehood, the married state or consecrated religious life. Have this discussion often with your children, especially after they reach the age of 15. [In fact, many know their vocation much earlier, even by 6th grade. The basic truth regardless, is that all have a vocation of some kind and need parental support in finding it. EW]

X. Ensure the frequenting of the Sacraments by your family members. The Sacrament of Confession should be partaken of at least monthly and the Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist should be partaken of at least weekly. You must make sure that your family’s sense of sin is never dulled. Take your family to Sunday Mass precisely as a family. …Foster among your family members a great love of the Holy Eucharist. Tithe regularly and devotedly. Do everything in your power … to truly make Sunday the Lord’s Day and a day of family togetherness; that is, a day of prayer, relaxation and recreation. Again, this calls for creativity, imagination and frequent planning in advance. Seek input from your wife and older children in this regard. Remember, any good and wholesome recreation is really a “re-creation” of both body and soul. - Fr. Wade Menezes, Inspired by and adapted from Superabundant Family Love by Fr. Bill McCarthy, MSA

Invite Someone to Walk on Water

In the gospel when Peter began to walk on the water, he was able "until he saw how strong the wind was and he became frightened." How often do we allow circumstances dictate our response rather than faith?! With God, everything is possible; with faith, everything is reasonable though our humanness would argue differently. What kind of faith would you like to have- the faith that defies logic or one dependent on the logical? Jesus calls us to "step out" of the security of the boat and risk answering his call. The result is growth beyond our imagining and we too can believe, like Peter who said, "Truly you are the Son of God." RCIA explores this kind of faith. Join us on Thursday, September 1 at 7:00 PM to find out more. Contact cyndebosshart@gmail.com for more information.