George M. Sipe @[email protected]

What distracts you at Mass? Satan hates that you are there, hates that you participate in the offering of our Lord and of ourselves to God Almighty. Distractions are his snares.

Some things he tries:
lack of reverence
people talking
crying children
inappropriate dress
horrendous music
homilies with theological errors
uncomfortable environment
much more

Yet, despite this we are in the presence of God, surrounded by all the angels and saints. That Mass is connected to every other Mass that was and ever will be offered, together with all the faithful throughout time participating. The connection to Our Lord is not only spiritual, but physical. We are there as Heaven touches earth, blessed to be a part of it -- or oblivious to it.

He is Risen Indeed, Alleluia!

#GospelToday

EWTN's Mother Angelica passed into eternal life 5 years ago today.

Eternal rest, grant unto her, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon her. May the soul of this beloved servant and those of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.

The president aggressively works against Church teaching (and natural law) on abortion, sex and gender. He champions laws against conscience protections and religious liberty. In practice, he is far from Catholic and possibly in a state of mortal sin (God determines that). He compounds his sin by receiving the Eucharist and the scandal he causes in calling himself a "devout" Catholic.

Pro tip: supposedly Catholic politicians mean "not" when they refer to themselves as "devout".

My reality...

Nope... your environment maybe or perhaps your circumstances, but not your reality.

You don't actually have "a reality". There is only reality, that is truth -- there are no versions of it.

To the degree that one lives apart from truth, they deny God and live apart from Him thus choosing the wide gate on the broad road.

Do not follow the "enlightened" culture or fear your cancellation for "while claiming to be wise, they became fools." -- Romans 1:22

This infinitely UNDERSTATES the proportions:

Biden's Lenten sacrifice.

"Satan Watching the Sleep of Christ" by Joseph Noel Paton (1874)
#art

As I have grown older, I really see God's hand in nature. I particularly enjoy sunshine and all that it illuminates.

Thinking about this, the sun itself is like God the Father, the light it emits is like the light of Christ and the rays falling upon the Earth like the Holy Spirit.

Just a thought.

It is a very dark day for the most innocent among us. The new administration has pledged to ceaselessly enable, fund and promote their destruction both at home and worldwide. The Biden/Harris holocaust against the unborn begins.

https://www.ncregister.com/cna/report-joe-biden-set-to-promptly-reverse-pro-life-policies

This is just the start. Expect determined attacks against conscience protections and religious freedom. So sad.

Fr. Mike Schmitz with Ascension Press is offering a "Bible in a year" podcast (free). It has just begun so NOW is a great time to join in!

The structure is following Jeff Cavins' popular Great Adventure Bible Timeline.

Fr. Mike will the entire Bible, cover to cover. Each day will begin with Father reading 2 or 3 scripture passages totaling approximately 10-15 minutes.

https://bibleinayear.fireside.fm

Ascension Press has additional (mostly free) supporting materials on their website. A good place to start is with their FAQ: https://ascensionpress.com/pages/the-bible-in-a-year-faqs

BTW - the podcast itself is available on a wide variety of channels. If you listen to podcasts now, it is probably available by whatever means you use.

One of the podcasts I listen to is from Peter Herbeck whose focus is on the Good News as revealed in Holy Scripture.

This one too looks at scripture, but in the context of how the world is darkening and the Light of the Church has dimmed. Not upbeat, just bluntly honest.

His purpose is not to depress, but the opposite -- we must choose to stand apart from the dark with fortitude and perseverance.

https://www.renewalministries.net

Mother of God ???

Non-Catholics, when you hear Catholics refer to Jesus' mother by the title "Mother of God", it may sound seriously wrong - maybe offensive.

There are a couple of things to clear up here. Firstly, Mary was a created being around 2000 years ago. God is eternal. Mary is the created, God is the Creator. God predated her by... forever. Mary is NOT in ANY WAY a deity. You know this and so does every Catholic.

Secondly, Catholics would be equally offended at the notion of worshiping Mary as if she were in equal to the One true God. We worship and adore only God in the Blessed Trinity. We venerate (show deep respect) for many in salvation history, especially Mary for her unique role.

So then, why this title? It is precisely because within Mary's womb, through her fiat, the Word became incarnate, from that instant on in human development, birth, mortal life and subsequent eternal life her child was both 100% God and 100% human. (BTW: it is the heresy of Nestorianism that Mary only carried Christ's human nature.) Mary carried, bore, nursed and (along with St. Joseph) raised God in the flesh. For this reason the early Church fathers referred to her as the theotokos (Greek for "God-bearer"). The Protestant "reformers" (Luther, Calvin, Zwingli) likewise affirmed this (and most other "Catholic" Marian doctrines too).

Luke chapter 1:

42 And she spake out with a loud voice, and said, Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb.

43 And whence is this to me, that the MOTHER OF MY LORD should come to me?

46 And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord,

47 And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.

48 For he hath regarded the low estate of his handmaiden: for, behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed.

Today is the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary (a Holy Day of Obligation).

Venerable Jozsef Cardinal Mindszenty wrote a touching reflection on motherhood in general, which is especially applicable to the Mother of God:

"The Most Important Person on earth is a mother. She cannot claim the honor of having built Notre Dame Cathedral. She need not. She has built something more magnificent than any cathedral - a dwelling for an immortal soul, the tiny perfection of her baby's body. . . The angels have not been blessed with such a grace. They cannot share in God's creative miracle to bring new saints to Heaven. Only a human mother can. Mothers are closer to God the Creator than any other creature; God joins forces with mothers in performing this act of creation. What on God's good earth is more glorious than this: to be a mother?"