Yesterday, I received one of the nicest compliments from my friend. She said that I had a positive attitude and never seemed to get down. Of course, the reality is I do have moments of great despair but I try to reserve those for the times when I am talking with God our Father. I was happy to hear that because over the years, I have consciously focused on improving my outlook. Most of it has been accomplished by letting go and letting God which we all know is very difficult for us to do. Add to that my propensity to try to control things. Anyway, it made me think about my friend and why I often feel like she is not happy or satisfied. I know some things about her but what I discovered in this analysis is that I do not know if she has a personal relationship with Christ and that will become the task at hand on the to do list. I must find a way to introduce the grace and salvation of Jesus to her. Last night, I watched the President's State of the Union address. What struck me is the ongoing theme of how the government is going to "help" us out. We can go to college for free. We can have health care. We can get a student loan and then not have to pay it back. It bothered me that the current President is deemphasizing personal responsibility. But it is not surprising. His political ideology is built on the tenants that the government will solve all of our problems. It goes back to a blog I wrote a while back that talked about the change in society that led a lot of us to depend on someone other than God to help us. I tried to find the phrase God helps those who help themselves in the Bible but it is not there. I am not saying it is not a good thought. I think we should try to help ourselves after careful and thoughtful consultation with God. But this idea that the government or any entity other than God can solve all of our problems is just wrong. I know that 2 Corinthians 5:10 says, "For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive recompense, according to what he did in the body, whether good or evil." Matthew 5:19 tells us, "Therefore, whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do so will be called least in the kingdom of heaven. But whoever obeys and teaches these commandments will be called greatest in the kingdom of heaven." Both of these passages stress the personal responsibility we must exhibit. God is calling us to respond to the needs of others and ourselves but He is doing even more. He is giving us the tools, guidance and love to accomplish these things. What kind of world would we have if we all began to live our lives in this way?
Finding St Anthony Among the Lost Items
Saint Anthony of Padua, though often associated with finding lost articles, was primarily known in his lifetime as a powerful and eloquent preacher. Originally a Canon Regular of St. Augustine, he was inspired to join the newly formed Franciscan order after witnessing the martyrdom of the first Franciscan missionaries in Morocco. His conversion to the mendicant life under St. Francis of Assisi transformed him, deepening his commitment to poverty, humility, and evangelical preaching. Gifted with profound theological knowledge and a captivating speaking style, he traveled across Italy and France, drawing immense crowds with his clear and passionate sermons, converting many and combating heresy with his unwavering faith and intellectual rigor. Beyond his public ministry, St. Anthony was a mystic who enjoyed profound spiritual experiences, most notably a vision of the Infant Jesus. This intimate connection with the Christ Child is a hallmark of his iconography, often depicting him c...
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