One of the most repeated transgressions of Israel mentioned in the Old Testament is the tendency of the people to create false gods. In fact, the plagues inflicted on the Egyptians during the time of Moses centered on dispelling the myth of the various gods worshipped by the Egyptians. After centuries of repeating the same mistakes, you would think that we as a people would learn. And to be fair, so of us have but not if you look at the cover of Newsweek. Picturing Barack Obama as a god is so insulting to Christians around the world. Actually, anyone who is spiritual and believes in a Higher Being (who is God for me) has to be offended by this depiction. The Dominican Sisters of Mary, Mother of the Eucharist of Ann Arbor, Michigan, will be featured on “The Oprah Winfrey Show” November 23. The show will feature a sister entering religious life and explore what it means to live a religious profession being “married” to Jesus. Several sisters, including Mother Assumpta Long, major superior, were interviewed. The program’s producers also filmed Masses at which several sisters made their first and final professions and the entry of 22 aspirants into the order. Life in the order was portrayed during Oprah’s February 9 program. That segment received so many positive responses that the TV talk show host thought it would be a good idea to visit again. It is a unique way for this Order to reach out to women that may be looking for a sign. I am anxious to hear what you think about this bold move.

In a statement, the order said it hopes to reach viewers whom otherwise would have no exposure or understanding of vowed religious life.

Trusting in God is all we need to do to have a fulfilling life. Then why is it so hard for us as humans to place our trust in the God who created us? It is the same mistake that Adam and Eve made when they decided to try to take God's place. They allowed their egos to take them down the path of sin and the world was never the same. It is the same mistake that the Jews made over and over again in the Original Testament. Although God gave them numerous chances, they were led astray time after time. Finally, God became man in the person of Jesus Christ. Finally, someone showed us what trust in God can mean. Jesus trusted God even to the death. Jesus did suffer and He had doubts but He always trusted God. After He was crucified for our sins, God raised Him from the dead. Jesus shows us the way. He also provides his body in Mass each week so that we can eat of this bread and attain everlasting life. The promise of life everlasting with God is pure delight. It is perfection. It really is indescribable but it is attainable. Trust God. It is that simple.

In the 10 months since Haiti's devastating earthquake buried nearly 300,000 people beneath rubble, the response from American Catholics for relief and rebuilding has been like none before, reported Dallas Bishop Kevin Farrell at the annual meeting of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. But ongoing needs are massive and redevelopment of Haiti is proceeding slowly and with many obstacles, according to several bishops whose committees are involved in the U.S. church's ongoing assistance. Several bishops provided pieces of a comprehensive oral report about aspects of the church's efforts for Haiti. For example, Miami Archbishop Thomas Wenski, who has long worked among the Haitian community in the United States and is chairman of the Haiti Advisory Group of the bishops' Subcommittee on the Church in Latin America, said the massive devastation in Haiti included the destruction of 70 parishes, dozens of schools, and several convents and centers of priestly formation. He asked, at the request of the Haitian bishops, that U.S. church groups use the system of church twinning to channel aid toward local parish communities. What a terrific idea. Trying to figure out a way to help. Talk to your pastor about twinning with a parish in Haiti. Sounds like a great time to start as well. Thanksgiving and Christmas are traditionally times of the year when folks start feeling more charitable. Acts 20:28 says, "Keep watch over yourselves and over the whole flock of which the holy Spirit has appointed you overseers, in which you tend the church of God that he acquired with his own blood."

Isiah 26:1-7 says, "On that day they will sing this song in the land of Judah: A strong city have we; he sets up walls and ramparts to protect us. Open up the gates to let in a nation that is just, one that keeps faith. A nation of firm purpose you keep in peace; in peace, for its trust in you. Trust in the Lord forever! For the Lord is an eternal rock. He humbles those in high places, and the lofty city he brings down; He tumbles it to the ground, levels it with the dust. It is trampled underfoot by the needy, by the footsteps of the poor. The way of the just is smooth; the path of the just you make level." How glorious would that be if we were shouting this from the top of the highest buildings in the land or, even better, from every pulpit in the land? On this day we choose to honor our veterans, it is fitting to think about the protection that the Lord has offered to us. Why are we not rushing to accept it? In fact, many of us Catholics are embracing this offer. We are living just lives that have been made smooth by the Lord. We are shining examples to others that a life filled with God can be less troublesome. It is our duty to spread this message to others. We are the active church being used by God to conquer the loftiness of the world. To be prepared to carry out your mission, you must be trained, just as we provide training for our soldiers. On this Veteran's Day I encourage you to think about the next step in your spiritual training. How can you allow God into every corner of your life? Trust in the Lord Forever!

People are angry. When they become angry, they usually look for someone or something to blame. All too often lately, the media outlets have become the target. Do I think that some of the media outlets have an anti-Christian slant? That is a fact. Can we blame everything that is wrong in the world only on that fact? Absolutely not because we have become, like the Jews in the book of Kings, a house divided. We have lost our way and we have become two tribes. 1 Kings 12:26 says, "Jeroboam thought to himself: The kingdom will return to David's house." That was a prophesy about the coming of Jesus Christ. If we know one thing from reading the Bible, God stands by His word. The house of David, in the person of Jesus, did return to power. Jesus came to lead the Jews back to the Temple and to God. But something else happened along the way. The Gentiles were offered a place at the table and thankfully, they accepted. The Catholic Church was formed and has continued for over 2010 years but we are not unified. Are we listening and trusting in God? I think some of us are but we are definitely a house divided. That is why I was so happy when Pope Benedict XVI assumed his papacy. Pope Benedict knows what it means to be Catholic and he is listening to God. He is trying to unite the division by providing the wisdom of the word. It is hard to live in the U.S. and be a Catholic. But just as the Jews suffered in exile all of those years, we are called to teach our children and hold true to the beliefs passed down by Jesus himself. Our suffering will not be in vain. The house of David shall rise again.