Americans are not doing a very good job of observing the 3rd Commandment. Over the past 50 years, Sundays have been filled with youth sports, professional sports, shopping, work and just about everything else… except for Mass.
The Catholic Church in the United States has embarked upon the third and final stage of our Eucharistic Revival: the Year of Mission. After having so joyfully and publicly welcomed the National Eucharistic Pilgrimage to the archdiocese last year, we now remind ourselves of the mission to be Christ for others. The world needs us to shine as examples of God’s love and compassion. The unborn, mothers in need, immigrants, homeless, and so many other vulnerable people long for us to see them with the eyes of Jesus, who has a special place for the poor in His heart.
In today’s Gospel Jesus turns the water into wine at the wedding of Cana. Even though Jesus responds to His mother’s request with, “My hour has not yet come.”, He still turns the water into wine an act of evangelization that turned the heads of all who witnessed this event with astonishment, and they begin questioning who Jesus is, and that He could possibly be the savior that they were hoping for and expecting. They begin to believe!
The baptism of Jesus reminds us of our identity and mission. First, it reminds us of who we are and Whose we are. By Baptism we become the adoptive sons and daughters of God, brothers and sisters of Jesus, members of his Church, heirs of Heaven and temples of the Holy Spirit.
Dear brothers and sisters, let us allow ourselves to be guided by the star that is the word of God, let us follow it in our lives, walking with the Church in which the Word has pitched his tent. Our road will always be illumined by a light that no other sign can give us. And we too shall become stars for others, a reflection of that light which Christ caused to shine upon us. Amen.
It is amazing that God chose to enter our fallen human condition by becoming Incarnate in the womb of the Blessed Virgin Mary. He was born of her, raised by her and Saint Joseph, acquired human knowledge through their teaching, worked with His hands, experienced the fullness of human society, and did so within the context of an earthly family. Jesus, Mary, and Joseph made up a sacred family, the Holy Family. As we ponder our inner family dynamics, relationships, and charity, let us use them as a model of how best to relate to our own family. Read more about how we can best imitate the Holy Family in our daily lives.
St. Remy Church is looking for a youth minister coordinator to replace Kennedie Goubeaux. The hours are flexible and are mostly daytime, except for approximately 4 evenings per month. The evening commitments are most frequently on Monday and Wednesday nights. Learn more and apply today!
If God wants us to honor our parents, how much more must he desire us to honor his Mother. The angel Gabriel declared Mary to be “full of grace” (Luke 1:28), making her worthy of our highest respect. Moreover, Mary herself stated that “all ages will call me blessed” (Luke 1:48). The Catholic Church is virtually unique in obeying and fulfilling this scriptural prophecy.
MORE THAN ANY OTHER CHRISTIAN RELIGION, CATHOLICISM TAKES SCRIPTURE SERIOUSLY. This assertion will surprise those who assume that Catholics are ignorant of Scripture and that the Protestant belief in sola scriptura (accepting “the Bible only” as a source of religious teaching) makes them the only true “Bible Christians.” However, history and logic reveals to us that the Catholic Church both interprets and lives by the scriptures.
Unlike other Christians, Catholics have a fully sacramental understanding of God's saving activity. If Jesus was willing to humble himself by becoming human (Phil. 2:6–7), it’s logical that God would continue working in and through human beings and the material order he himself created. The Catholic Church, with its sacramental emphasis, lives this out through the example and actions of the clergy and the faithful.
Catholics are privileged to be able to receive the treasure beyond all price—Jesus himself—each time they attend Mass. We have to be careful in our self-serving, entertainment based culture to not approach our faith and our church experience expecting to be entertained.
Many people misunderstand what Purgatory is, why we need it and how beautifully hopeful it is. What is it? Who goes there? And how can you help your deceased loved ones pass through it on their journey to Heaven? These questions and more will be answered in this timely ebook. Understanding Purgatory and its place in God’s plan of love and mercy is critical. Don’t miss out on the opportunity to build up the body of Christ and be strengthened in your own faith! Get your free copy of this ebook today!
It is a wonderful gift from God that we are blessed with the original church founded by Jesus Christ himself and established through the sacrificial lives of the Apostles and early church leaders—especially when it comes to knowing and living the truths necessary for salvation.