It seems satan has recruited a new member in the attempt to bring down the Church that was founded by Jesus Christ. Nicki Minaj, who purports to be a singer, performed a song on the Grammy's Sunday night that quickly turned into a sacrilegious mess. She has been roundly criticized but responded on her Twitter account that she is not sorry and basically meant to offend people. We cannot print her response because it is also offensive to civil society. At a time when the president of the United States is pushing policies that are aimed point blank at Catholic beliefs based on the teachings of Jesus Christ, it seems that satan is working overtime to continue the assault against the Church. St. Bernard Clairvaux said that being a Christian in this time will be difficult. He notes that only the heroic will survive. Are you ready to be a hero for Jesus' Church? If you are, be aware that satan and his army will come against us. You must arm yourself appropriately and the best way is to receive the Eucharist. Having Jesus inside of you will make you strong enough to withstand the power of evil. St. Bernard tells us, "We are to love God for Himself, because of a twofold reason; nothing is more reasonable, nothing more profitable." Loving God requires us to be His church on earth. The attempts to destroy us by our enemies must be met with prayer and fasting. We must also respond to these attacks with love and the truth. We must be vigilant in our protection of what we hold deep in our hearts, namely our faith. It is what sustains us in life and allows us to hope for eternal life with God our Father. Before we were conceived, God knew us. Before our parents ever laid eyes on us, God loved us. Loving God, as St. Bernard said, is a profitable endeavor. We know that God will not be outdone. His love is endless. The depth of His love is immeasurable. We must return His love with our own inadequate love. Each day strive to love God more. But remember that we should respond to God not only in words but deeds. Loving God should take all of the forms of the corporal and spiritual works of mercy. I find that four spiritual works of mercy apply directly to the Minaj incident. They are namely: To counsel the doubtful; To admonish sinners; To bear wrongs patiently; and, To forgive offenses willingly. Let's go Prayer Warriors. Now is the time to be heroic.
In the quiet, dusty corners of our hearts, we often harbor blueprint drafts of how we think our lives should unfold. We carefully map out our timelines, hoping for a smooth path, and it is only natural to feel a bit lost or weary when a sudden storm alters our course or a door we prayed would open remains closed. Yet, our Lord does not stand at a distance during these moments of uncertainty; He is a tender Shepherd who walks beside us, gently whispering, "For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope" ( Jeremiah 29:11). When our own plans crumble, it is not a sign that He has abandoned us, but rather an invitation to fold our hands, release our grip on the pen, and offer our own quiet fiat—letting Him guide us into green pastures we could never have found on our own. Placing our trust in His loving providence allows us to breathe deeply and find rest, even when the road ahead is shrouded in mist. E...
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