Thought for the Day: How Do I Choose to Behave? How Do I Use my Free Will?

I've been re-reading People of the Lie by Scott Peck. I don't agree with everything he writes, but as I neared the end of the book in the last chapter but one, I came across this absolutely true statement about free will:

Each of us is ultimately free to choose how we are going to behave. We are even free to reject what we have been taught and what is normal for our society.We may even reject the few instincts we have, as do those who rationally choose celibacy or submit themselves to death by martyrdom. Free will is the ultimate human reality. 

Was the Miracle of the Sun at Fatima a Warning for the End Times?

On October 13, 1917, Our Lady made her final visit to the Cova de Iria in Fatima, Portugal. She produced the promised miracle. Not only did the sun dance, but it appeared to plunge toward the earth. Many of the terrified witnesses dropped to their knees and began to confess their sins and make a fervent act of contrition. The sun did not hit the earth that day, it returned to its place in the sky. But was that solar event a warning that a future chastisement would come through the activity of the sun?

Padre Pio's and Don Dolindo's Christmas Messages

These two holy men offer messages for Christmas that every soul needs to hear. Let us turn to Jesus on this holy night and comfort Him in the cold. Let our hearts not be like the piercing cold of the cave in Bethlehem. Jesus sends an invitation this night. Will we accept it and respond? Let us abandon ourselves to Divine Providence.  O Jesus, I trust in You; take care of everything. "The soul that surrenders becomes the warm cradle."

Sunday Meditation: St. John the Baptist, Rock not Reed!

St. John the Baptist is a major Advent voice preparing the way for the birth of Jesus on Christmas day. Today, we heard in the Gospel (TLM) the moment, when in prison, John sent his disciples to ask Christ a question. "Shall we look for another?" I have no doubt that John already knew the answer to that question. So why did he ask it? I think he wanted to wean his disciples from himself and turn them to Christ. His "voice in the wilderness" was about to go silent and he wanted his little band of brothers to follow the One whose sandal he was not fit to unloose. 

Sunday Meditation: Why do the Evil Prosper?

Do you ever ask why the evil prosper?

Defend the Faith from the Foxes in the "Henhouse!"

My husband and I go out every night to supervise our chickens while they free range for an hour. We used to let them out all day until one disappeared. When we saw a fox later prowling around the coop, we decided that poor Pidgie ended up in the fox's belly. Now we are the evening guardians while we pray our rosary and do some spiritual reading together. (Our evening activity is a metaphor for what the laity must do these days to defend the flock from the foxes and wolves invading the coop. Unfortunately, many who remain theologically true shepherds often will not act out of fear of reprisal. Thank God for the few, like Bishop Strickland, who will.)

A Powerful Conversion Story: The Traditional Latin Mass Led Him Into the Church

Protestant seminarian finds home in Catholic Church through social media connection

I remember a friend once telling me about a man she was dating. He attended RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults) and did, indeed, become a Catholic if my memory serves. They didn't end up getting married, but my friend told me how he responded to the classes. "It's not much different from my Protestant faith." 

What does that say about the instruction? Nothing good!

Sunday Meditation: Make Friends with the Saints! Then Imitate Their Love for the Least Ones!

Most days I read Butler's Lives of the Saints as part of my morning prayer. I usually check out the main saint of the day. Often five are six are listed and I just browse the others. Yesterday's entry focused on two pope martyrs from the 2nd and 3rd centuries, Saints Soter and Caius. Wouldn't it be a blessing to have a pope today willing to die for the faith while defending the sheep instead of persecuting the sheep by attacking the faith. So sad.

I've decided to immerse myself in one saint at a time for awhile. My first choice is Padre Pio. I'm on my second book and I absolutely love him! Talk about a man who suffered for the flock. Everyone who ever went to him for confession became his spiritual child. Some of them received visits from him by bi-location even before they met. When they later travelled to the Capuchin monastery at San Giovanni Rotondo they recognized the unknown monk who had appeared to them with messages of hope. 

How do you spell Democrat? V-I-O-L-E-N-C-E!

"Pray, hope, and don't worry."  St. Padre Pio

Trump Surge Freakout: More Violence against Supporters

The Democrats have spent the entire campaign accusing Trump and his supporters of fomenting violence, but the truth is that the violence is coming from the Democrats and their paid operatives. If you are a Trump supporter you know people who have been verbally or even physically attacked, had their signs stolen, had their cars keyed or worse.

Democrats talk about tolerance but it's a one-way street. Tolerate their opinions about (take your pick) abortion, sodomy, same sex marriage, euthanasia, assisted suicide, cannibalizing embryos for their stem cells, open borders, Obamacare, etc. If you dare to debate any of these issues and present a reasoned case against them you are (take your pick) a hater, a homophobe, a Nazi, a f***ing idiot, a deplorable, a danger, etc. Debate a Democrat at your peril. You will soon find yourself at the end of a diatribe of name-calling which Hillary exhibited when she said she was sick of Trump supporters, whom she had already labeled "deplorable" and then upped the ante calling us "dark, divisive, and dangerous." And that, friends, is how a Democrat thinks you unify the country.

The Real Audacity of Hope

For an incredible story of hope, forgiveness, and love, visit one of my favorite blogs.

Common Sense on the Election and What it Means to Conservatives

Fr. Thomas Berg, Executive Director of the Westchester Institute for Ethics and the Human Person has a great column analyzing the recent presidential election. If you're still hyperventilating, try some deep breathing in a paper bag and then read Father's column. Life goes on. God is still the Lord of the universe. And to paraphrase Padre Pio, "pray, hope, work, and don't worry."