While listening to a local Christian radio station yesterday, I had the privilege to hear an 11 year old call in for a contest they were running. The idea was that you had to sing or rap any part of a Toby mac song. This young fellow sang almost half of Mac's song City on Our Knees. It was very inspiring because he sang with such conviction and belief. It is why Jesus sought out the children during his time here on earth. Their spirituality can be truly inspiring. I saw on a fellow blogger's site that Fr. Simeon Gallagher had been in the Boston area recently. If you have a chance to hear him speak, do not miss it. He is truly inspired by the Holy Spirit and in this Year of the Priest represents the best there is. In 1 Thessalonians 5:11 St. Paul writes, "Therefore, encourage one another and build one another up, as indeed you do." Is there nothing nicer than hearing a compliment. In the business world, good managers know that credit is free and should be spread around often. We as Christians should also look for opportunities to build each other up. Because our society is moving at such a fast pace, we need to take the time to build one another up. St. Paul goes on to say, "We urge you, brothers, admonish the idle, cheer the fainthearted, support the weak, be patient with all. See that no one returns evil for evil; rather, always seek what is good (both) for each other and for all." I can only imagine what our city, country and world would look like if we merely took these simple suggestions to heart and implemented them in our lives everyday. Sacred Heart of Jesus, I trust in You. Sacred Heart of Jesus, I believe in Your love for me. Sacred Heart of Jesus, Your Kingdom come.
The twelve apostles chosen by Jesus formed the bedrock of the early Church , and their Catholic identity is deeply rooted in their direct relationship with Christ and the mission He entrusted to them. The Catechism of the Catholic Church highlights this foundational role, stating that Jesus "instituted the Twelve as 'the seeds of the new Israel and the beginning of the sacred hierarchy'" ( CCC 860 ). These men were not simply followers; they were handpicked by Jesus, lived intimately with Him, witnessed His miracles and teachings firsthand, and were specifically commissioned to preach the Gospel to all nations ( Matthew 28:19-20 ). Their unique position as eyewitnesses to the life, death, and resurrection of Christ, and their reception of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, established them as the authoritative leaders of the nascent Church, a reality echoed in the writings of early Church Fathers like Ignatius of Antioch, who emphasized the apostles' authority as repre...
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