Soul of Christ, sanctify me. Body of Christ, save me. Blood of Christ, inebriate me. Water from the side of Christ, wash me. Many of you will remember that this is the opening lines from the prayer by St. Ignatius of Loyola called Soul of Christ. It is a very intimate prayer that indicates a close, loving relationship with Jesus Christ. So how did Ignatius move from his life of materialism and debauchery to a life dedicated so fully to God? His life before his conversion could best be described as lukewarm or perhaps even cold towards his spiritual development. St. Ignatius even had a police record for some of his antics. But by reading about the lives of the saints and the Bible itself, Ignatius became one of the Lord's most fervent supporters. As an American Catholic, I know how hard it is to adhere to the life that Christ requires. We are so ingrained with thoughts of becoming rich and famous. Television makes "stars" out of folks who have no discernible talent other than they will allow the cameras to roll in their "homes." while they "live." Can you even keep track of the award shows Hollywood now has? How many times are they going to pat themselves on the back for memorizing lines and looking pretty? Not judging, just observing. Revelation 3:16 says, "So, because you are lukewarm, neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth." What a sobering thought. That by being bland and boring when it comes to our relationship with the Lord, we will be spit out of His mouth. It is not a pretty image. But He does offer a solution in Revelation 3:18-19, "I advise you to buy from me gold refined by fire so that you may be rich, and white garments to put on so that your shameful nakedness may not be exposed, and buy ointment to smear on your eyes so that you may see. Those whom I love, I reprove and chastise. Be earnest, therefore, and repent." This gold is not the kind you put on your finger or wear around your neck. This is the gold of Heaven that will last forever. It is purchased by falling in love with God. It is kept by making God the number one relationship in your life. You can have these riches from God by being in relationship with Him. I don't know about you but I do not want God to spit me out. I want the white garment of salvation. I am praying that we each develop a deeper, constant love affair with our God.

The Family Research Council shared a horrific story about abortion marking the grisly anniversary of Roe v. Wade. Here is part of the story. A three-story slaughterhouse on the corner of a busy Philadelphia street is where a man and his wife spent almost 40 years building an empire on the backs of dead infants. An empire that, despite pleas from dozens of patients, went virtually untouched by state officials. In the end, Kermit Gosnell's grisly practice of massacring babies and tormenting women may stand as one of the most horrific discoveries in Pennsylvania state history--if not because of what went on, then because of who may have funded it. The city's District Attorney recently released 261 pages of documentation about the human butcher and his "Family Medical Society," which, deep inside its padlocked doors, hid the bodies of hundreds of aborted children. One of the more shocking pieces of information is that Gosnell, using the Society's name, "purported to be a provider of children's vaccines under a program administered by the Philadelphia Health Department's Division of Disease Control" (page 199). A program that, under the umbrella of Medicaid, is funded with taxpayer dollars. The grand-jury report explains that "[e]mails going back to August 2001 reveal that he was suspended from the program repeatedly for failing to maintain logs and for storing vaccines in filthy, unsuitable refrigerators, and at improper temperatures... Chicken pox vaccines were stored in an ice tray above the containers of bloody fetuses... When [the inspector] asked who in the practice treated children, [one of Gosnell's employees] replied: 'They don't come in.'" The inspector told the grand jury that the clinic was "improperly trying to count abortion patients as vaccination patients" (page 202). Despite her report, Pennsylvania officials looked the other way. "The problem with the Departments of State and Health is not that they lacked authority to end the crime spree that Gosnell and his staff passed off as practicing medicine. The problem is that the state overseers preferred not to exercise their authority." We don't know whether Gosnell was diverting taxpayer money meant for vaccines into his illegal abortion business. What we do know is that the question needs to be raised. For years, FRC has struggled to end Washington's money line to groups that perform abortions. Until it does, we can't be sure how many abortion clinics are using taxpayer dollars to grow their profit margins. At Planned Parenthood, which enjoys hundreds of millions of "family planning" dollars, it's a common theme. Just three months ago, the abortion giant settled a case in Washington State for over-billing the government on birth control so that it could spend money elsewhere. In California, a former employee is accusing the organization of similar fraud. Regardless of where or how he made his millions, Gosnell is the face of a movement protected by U.S. law. Perhaps even worse, he's the picture of an underground practice to execute living, squirming, feeling newborns. "After the baby was expelled, Cross noticed that he was breathing... After about 10 to 20 seconds, while the mother was asleep, 'the doctor just slit the neck,' said Cross... Gosnell noted the baby boy's size by joking, as he often did after delivering a large baby, [saying]: 'This baby is big enough to walk around with me or walk me to the bus stop'" (page 102). As a state leader in Illinois, Barack Obama refused to defend newborns like this one. He was opposed to legislation that would legally protect babies who are born alive during abortions. On March 30, 2001, our future President stood on the Senate floor and said that the saving abortion survivors would place "a burden on doctors... to keep [children] alive." "We're probably crossing the line in terms of unconstitutionality," he said (page 87). In the end, he didn't vote in favor of the state's Born Alive Infants Protection Act--making him more extreme than every member of the U.S. Senate in 2002, which passed its version 98-0. St. James tells us in Chapter 1:22-25, "Be doers of the word and not hearers only, deluding yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks at his own face in a mirror. He sees himself, then goes off and promptly forgets what he looked like. But the one who peers into the perfect law of freedom and perseveres, and is not a hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, such a one shall be blessed in what he does." We cannot sit idly by while this type of evil is allowed to occur.

Did you hear about the Doritos' ad that was planned to run during the Super Bowl that got pulled for being offensive to Catholics? It seems the premise of the ad was a pastor (priest?) needed money to pay his parish's bills. He uses Doritos' as a substitute for the Eucharist and Pepsi as a replacement for the blood of Christ to supposedly increase the crowds in his church. The ad agency that created the commercial claims that it was not meant to mock Catholics but what else would it mean? Thankfully it will never see the light of day although I am sure it is going viral on the web as you read this. There was an interesting article in a national newspaper that described a more recent phenomena about prayer. It seems that many protestant churches have begun to use the web to promote an increase in prayer. More than four in 10 Protestant churches with websites now invite people to post pleas to the Lord on the main church site so volunteers and staff can chime in on the soulful call, according to a new survey. Catholics have joined in on the "prayer for busy people" methods as well. It is the latest cyberspin on religious life, updating traditional prayer rooms and supplementing other familiar prayer request paths such as e-mail or social networks. I will close with the words of St James who says in 4:7, "So submit yourselves to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you."

According to the USA Today, a Philadelphia abortion doctor has been charged with eight murders, including seven babies killed with scissors, the Associated Press reports. Prosecutors say the infants were born alive and then killed. Dr. Kermit Gosnell is also charged with murder in the death of a woman patient. The charges have been filed following a long grand jury investigation. District Attorney Seth Williams says women at Gosnell's Women's Medical Society were subjected to squalid and barbaric conditions. The clinic was shut down last year. Gosnell also has been named in at least 10 malpractice suits, including one over the death of a woman who died of sepsis and a perforated uterus, the AP says. Simply horrific news but not unexpected in a society that legislates and condones killing. I am comforted knowing that these tiny babies were taken straight to Heaven and are now living with God our Father. Please pray that Dr. Gosnell accepts Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior and that he repents for what he has done.

When the annual year-end lists of best selling books came out, I was thrilled to see that The Shack was still on there. I have written about the transforming power of this book in the past. I have given this book to many of my family members and urged them to read it. Most of them agreed that Willie Young's writing is powerful and each of them had a story to tell. I think that is what marks good fiction or writing of any kind. Once you have finished reading the book, it makes you continue to think. It makes you react. Hopefully The Shack is bringing more people to the Holy Trinity. With over 10 million books in print, it is apparent that Willie is bringing the Lord to a lot of people. I was also excited to see that the beatification of Pope John Paul II will take place on May 1. As you probably know, this is the last step before possibly having John Paul II declared a saint. What was really interesting was how excited Pope Benedict XVI was when he made the announcement. As someone who lived through the entire period of John Paul's leadership, I can say that his ascension cannot come fast enough. He was the face of God throughout his time on earth. His personal example left little doubt that he was definitely listening to God each and every day. I pray that God sends us more saintly examples like John Paul II and that more people accept the mantle of being Christ-centered in a world that is hurting and searching.

Can you believe that it has been an entire year since the earthquake hit Haiti? I know that many of us have forgotten about this tragedy, but we have talked about it on this blog a number of times during the past year. I have also heard several stories recently from folks who have made a trip to Haiti to offer assistance. Most of them have noted how the experience has altered their life forever. They truly feel like they can never go back to the life they were living after seeing the amazing things that God is doing in this tiny country. They often talk of the hope in Christ that the Haitians are exhibiting even in light of continuing hardships. We must continue to be the hands and feet of the Lord in places like Haiti. Chris Tomlin has a beautiful song called I Will Follow You that talks about this very thing. He sings, "Where you go, I'll go. Where you stay, I'll stay. When you move, I'll move. I will follow you. Who you love, I'll love. How you serve I'll serve." Following God is never a bad thing and we are called to places like Haiti to make sure that people do not lose hope. One of the news reports I saw had an incredible quote from one of the survivors who said, "This is a day for us to remember the people we lost, but also it's a day to be thankful that we made it through this year," said Pierre Jean as she sat on a blanket in front of a UNICEF tent. She paused a moment, holding back tears. "It was a horrible year." Jean's brother and mother died when their home collapsed in the magnitude 7 quake that killed at least 230,000 and left more than 1 million homeless when it struck. Hearing something like this, can we return to the life we are living? Can we continue to complain about insignificant things? Can we continue to allow idol worship of things to cloud our spiritual life? I am praying that you have a Haiti moment and that it clarifies your spiritual path.

Father David Edwards says we should "focus on what we want to see grow." What a simple message. Yet is gives you all you need to have to get through each day. If you focus your mind on positive things, they will become the purpose for your life. So focus on God. Let Jesus Christ be your moral guide. Allow the Holy Spirit to work in your heart each and every day. Pope Benedict XVI recently delivered a powerful message about one of our most beautiful saints. St. Catherine of Siena, who entered the Third Order of the Dominicans at the age of 16, was declared a Doctor of the Church by Pope Paul VI in 1970. Benedict says that Catherine played an eminent role in the history of the Church. He also relates an extraordinary story about Catherine. "In a vision that was ever present in Catherine's heart and mind Our Lady presented her to Jesus who gave her a splendid ring, saying to her: 'I, your Creator and Savior, espouse you in the faith, that you will keep ever pure until you celebrate your eternal nuptials with me in Heaven.' This ring was visible to her alone. In this extraordinary episode we see the vital center of Catherine’s religious sense, and of all authentic spirituality: Christocentrism. For her Christ was like the spouse with whom a relationship of intimacy, communion and faithfulness exists; he was the best beloved whom she loved above any other good." What an incredible example. I am planning to deepen my authentic spirituality and to become much more Christocentric. Going back to the initial idea of this post, I plan to focus on my relationship with Christ because I want it to grow.

Happy New Year to you and yours. I am praying that 2011 be a great year and that millions of people are drawn to the love and grace of God our Father. I was blessed by some powerful preaching yesterday. As I sat listening to the message, I felt God's patient support and overwhelming love. Resolution number one became to pray for the Holy Spirit to rise up in all of our pastors so that the pure message of God can be heard by everyone who goes to church. After Mass, I began to think about my belief in God. What drew me to Jesus Christ? How has the Holy Spirit continued to work in my life? I realized that as a cradle Catholic, I was provided with a solid foundation that allowed me to stumble through life with the comfort that only God can provide. I was confident that God would always be there for me. It doesn't mean that my life was perfect and trouble free. Actually, I have had my share of agony and sin, but I knew that God was (and is) always there for me. So how was my faith formed and why do I trust so deeply? Part of my journey, that I think is essential for everyone, involved questioning and seeking. I don't think there is anything wrong with asking questions about God. I think it is important to be respectful and civil and I think the topic deserves a special type of inquiry. Having said that, I think it is important for us to seek as much knowledge as we can about the faith that sustains us. Very often when I see someone who denies the existence of God or describes Jesus as just a man, I find that they are not completing their argument. Frequently their logic is very flawed. I think that are stopping short and in the process denying themselves a much more fulfilling life. So this year, I will continue to question my faith process and I will concentrate on growing as a Christian. I guess that make resolution number two. I would also like to challenge you to dig deeper. Think about the what and why of your faith. Figure out why it is that you believe (or don't believe) in the truths of the Church. Allow God into this conversation. That is key. If you don't, the process is flawed and you will be doomed to failure from the outset. Begin and end every part of this growth process by talking with God. As Nicole C. Mullens says in her beautiful song I Know That My Redeemer Lives, "I spoke with Him this morning." Make that resolution number three. A daily talk with God. Here is to a blessed 2011 with a closer walk with God!