1 Cor 4:2 (Trustwothy?)

Welcome God today with this LIFE Group Devotion (archive, Facebook).

"Now it is of course required of stewards that they be found trustworthy" 1 Cor 4:2 (full readings)

Steve's Thoughts: Over this past year I have been contemplating an interesting thought, "Does God put His trust in us?" We often hear how we must put our trust in God which is a very important element of any relationship to grow toward deeper intimacy. I believe that God wants to lavish his many blessings on each of us. The Gospels tell us a basic truth that the reward is the same for all no matter when they come to the harvest. Am I trustworthy? Can God trust me with his many blessings? Simply put - no I have not always been trustworthy. I have not always been a good steward of the "mysteries of God".

We learned a few weeks back in the Gospel that all must have the appropriate attire for the wedding feast or we will be cast out - humility and a contrite heart. This is what God desires from each of us. To truly encounter God in my life has been a sometimes painful journey of humility and contrition as I have come to understand how frail I really am without God. This encounter with God has changed me. I am different today than I was when I first encountered Jesus as a fifteen year old kid. I was surely not trustworthy having no belief in the true presence of Jesus in the Eucharist; a belief that abortion was a necessary evil; and no desire to serve the Lord in any capacity. He took me anyway. That brief moment of grace where I saw just a glimpse of how much God loves me in spite of my frailty has fueled me to this day. Over the past 19 years God has convicted and changed my heart. He has walked along side me every step of the way gently prodding and moving my heart towards his most sacred heart. The invitation I received then is the same today. Today I have a deep love for our Lord in the Eucharist, I am actively advocating for the Unborn, and I am working for the Church. Only God can do that!

Faith Challenge: Lord, in what ways am I untrustworthy? How would you bless me if you could trust me? Where are you gently inviting me to change?

Sr. Francelle's Devotion: Hope.

Counter-Culture News: LSN, Vatican, AFA, Priests for Life.

Our Prayers: Prayer to end abortion. Peters family (JP), Rich Reich (cousin Tom cancer), Pam McGushin (Terry Reszel cancer), Hourigan Family (Dick's funeral today), Rich Reich Sr (Pat Coy heart attack), Karen Ryan Philpott (for newborn William Mucher with heart block)

Faith Quote: "God cleans His fish after He catches them." ~ unknown

Graciously & Humbly Through Christ our Lord,
Steve
Romans 12:2

Psalm 124:8 (Where is the cross?)

Let's welcome God this morning by reflecting on this short Living In Faith Exchange (LIFE) Group devotion (life-devotions.blogspot.com), which is based on Living Faith. All whatsoever you do in word or in work, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Col. 3:17

Our help is in the name of the Lord, who made heaven and earth. Psalm 124:8 (full readings)

Living Faith snippets: "When the computer makes a strange noise and the screen goes dark, I may be profoundly distressed, but I know where to go for help...but what if the doctor tells me an unusual spot has appeared on the x-ray of my lung? Or I discover I have been betrayed by a dear and trusted friend? Or that my child has been injured in a terrible car accident? If such things were to happen, where's the help?" by Mark Neilsen

Steve's Thoughts: "I was profoundly saddened by the news of a young mother who died following the birth of her son last Friday (see prayers below). I felt empty. It got me thinking about the role of suffering in our faith journey. This past Sunday I heard a priest speak of the two sides of our faith in our life journey - in our joy and in our suffering. He spoke candidly of how easily we look for our faith to entertain us and bring us joy. There is a certain temptation to "shop around" our faith to find a church that fits our needs, our family, our situation. He spoke of the many church's with profound preaching, enticing programs for every aspect of the family life, and beautiful uplifting music each Sunday. He followed up with a simple question, "Where is the cross?" The gospel of suffering is the least understood and last to be embraced by a Christian yet without it there would be no salvation, no life. It involves the understanding that our true happiness does not lie in this life but in the next. Dear Jesus, teach me to conform my ways to Your ways, my mind to Your truth, and to truly understand that real treasure, real happiness is not obtained in this life but the next.

Faith Challenges: Let's all invite one person each week (John 14:6) to join our LIFE Group (>240 of God's children).

* NEW: If your Church is not what you like volunteer for an area that you feel is lacking - fill the gaps! Get M.A.D - Go Make A Difference...

Counter-Culture News: LifeSiteNews, American Family Association, Priests for Life

* Let's never forget the horrific reality of abortion (images)...#1 cause of death in America. Let's courageously share ProLife Truth to create social tension for exposing abortion's unjust peace...rebuilding a Culture of Life (Matt 5:16) and setting the unborn free!

* NEW: Abortionist reflects on dismembering one baby while feeling her own flutter in her womb.

Our Prayers: Those who pray together stay together. Fasting ideas in footnote below.

* Prayer to end abortion, abused children, chastity, peace, our enemies, our troops, depression/despair, prisoners, ProLife politicians, illnesses/injuries, jobs, natural disasters, refugees, addictions, persecuted believers, Peters family (JP in hospital), Lynn Bishara (for son Alex), Stephanie Spader (for pregnancy), Joyce Trunk (friend w/brain cancer), Kathy Castle (Vicki Miller in hospice).

* NEW: Carol Nesbit wrote, "Please add to the prayer list Katie Friedman, the wife of ’96 O’Gorman alum Jon Friedman. Jon is an F-16 pilot, stationed in Italy. His wife Katie gave birth on Friday to a new healthy baby boy, then died three hours later from severe hemorrhaging. They also have a young son who is not quite two years old. The family is devastated by the loss of this wonderful young mother."

Feast Day: St. Hilarion (371)

Faith Quote: "We are called to be hope for the innocent, protection for the defenseless, and a voice for the voiceless…” ~ Fr. Greg Paffel (Our Lady of Victory Church, Fergus Falls, MN)

Through Christ our Lord,
Steve

Romans 12:2

* Prayer: Prayer connects us with God's will & His miracles, changing us & helping others. 'If you pray that God will move a mountain and He doesn't, assume Christ wants you to climb it instead.'
* Fasting: Let's fast from things that take our eyes off Jesus (selfishness, bitterness, being so critical, impatience, gossip, excessive video games, etc) and take on things that fix our eyes on Jesus (selflessness, kindness, compassion, forgiveness, patience, understanding, caring, helping, listening).
* Defend the unborn: 'Rescue those who are unjustly sentenced to death; don't stand back and let them die' (Prov 24:11). 'Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you' (Jer 1:5). 'It is a great poverty that a child must die that you might live as you wish' (Blessed Mother Teresa).
* Evangelization: Let's make room for unbelievers (be a friend, make a friend, lead a friend to Christ) and perpetual re-evangelization of self and those near us, by way of daily prayer (relationship) and following Christ's example of selfless love, mercy, and service (Matt 28:19).

Luke 9:18 (our "American Ride")

Let's welcome God this morning by reflecting on this short Living In Faith Exchange (LIFE) Group devotion (life-devotions.blogspot.com), which is based on Living Faith. All whatsoever you do in word or in work, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Col. 3:17

Who do the crowds say that I am? Luke 9:18 (full readings)

Living Faith snippets: "And then comes the follow-up question of great yearning as He asks those dear to His heart, "But who do you say that I am?" by Sr. Macrina Wiederkehr

Pat nuggets: God is with us through each moment and every season. When I sense God, I refer to that as a "God sighting." My excellent chem-PhD advisor, Paul Bohn, took this a step further, "with respect to a "God sighting" there are no false positives, only false negatives." Paul also mentioned the importance of "listening for the presence of the Spirit." This is right in line with yesterday's devotion snippet, "God is in the details, they say. Perhaps I need to slow down and consider those details. God, help me live in an awareness of your constant presence." We all need to do exactly that each day to prevent the golden calves from running wild in our life...sounds like a line from cowboys for Jesus! Speaking of cowboys, the Toby Keith song American Ride talks about "plasma getting bigger, Jesus getting smaller"...that's not our Christian American Ride! We are called to use God's stuff (plasma, etc) to keep Jesus biggest in our lives...if some stuff isn't doing that, let's get rid of it!

* Our LIFE (Group) Runners will do the Twin Cities Marathon on Respect Life Sunday (4 Oct), raising $/mile for a crisis pregnancy center ultrasound machine..."Remember the Unborn." The official TC Marathon slogan is "Train your body, prepare your soul"...exactly!

Sr. Francelle's devotion: Never Give Up!‏

Faith Challenges:

* NEW members include Julie Seiffert, Paul Bohn, Danielle Anderson, Joan Sparks, Rev Ken Parker, Jody Dilday, Brenda Alvine...welcome! Let's all invite one person each week (John 14:6) to join our LIFE Group (>235 ProLife Christians).
* NEW: Let's "use God's stuff to keep Jesus biggest in our lives...if some stuff isn't doing that, let's get rid of it!"

Counter-Culture News: LifeSiteNews, 40 Days for Life (began 23 Sep), American Family Association, Priests for Life

* Let's never forget the horrific reality of abortion (images)...#1 cause of death in America. Let's courageously share ProLife Truth to create social tension for exposing abortion's unjust peace...rebuilding a Culture of Life (Matt 5:16) and setting the unborn free!

Our Prayers: Those who pray together stay together. Fasting ideas in footnote below.

* Prayer to end abortion, abused children, chastity, peace, our enemies, our troops, depression/despair, prisoners, ProLife politicians, illnesses/injuries, jobs, natural disasters, refugees, addictions, persecuted believers, Peters family (JP in hospital), Lynn Bishara (for son Alex), Pat Castle (for cousin Michael), Stephanie Spader (for peace/healthy pregnancy).

* NEW: Kay Castle (Nancy Wheeler, Sheri Daniels, Sr. Joan Luke), Maureen Rogers (her pain)

Faith Quote: "Can't sleep? Don't count sheep; talk to the Shepherd!"

Through Christ our Lord,
Pat

Phil 4:13

* Prayer: Prayer connects us with God's will & His miracles, changing us & helping others. 'If you pray that God will move a mountain and He doesn't, assume Christ wants you to climb it instead.'

* Fasting: Let's fast from things that take our eyes off Jesus (selfishness, bitterness, being so critical, impatience, gossip, excessive video games, etc) and take on things that fix our eyes on Jesus (selflessness, kindness, compassion, forgiveness, patience, understanding, caring, helping, listening).

* Defend the unborn: 'Rescue those who are unjustly sentenced to death; don't stand back and let them die' (Prov 24:11). 'Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you' (Jer 1:5). 'It is a great poverty that a child must die that you might live as you wish' (Blessed Mother Teresa).

* Evangelization: Let's make room for unbelievers (be a friend, make a friend, lead a friend to Christ) and perpetual re-evangelization of self and those near us, by way of daily prayer (relationship) and following Christ's example of selfless love, mercy, and service (Matt 28:19).

Mark 12:17 (what belongs to God?)

Let's welcome God every morning before work by taking ~5 min to read this Living In Faith Exchange (LIFE) Group devotion (life-devotions.blogspot.com), which has snippets from Living Faith. All whatsoever you do in word or in work, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Col. 3:17

Repay to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God. Mark 12:17 (full readings)

Living Faith snippets: "Jesus, turns to the issue of "what belongs to God." Much more important than mere taxation, this is the heart of the matter of our allegiance. Seek the Kingdom [of God] first, and all these other issues will be resolved as well. Lord, help us to give up trying to justify ourselves and instead surrender our hearts to you." by Mark Neilsen

Faith Challenge: Let's challenge each other to joyfully live out the Good News.
* NEW: We know that everything belongs to God...life is a gift from God...let's strive to act like we truly believe this.

Counter-Culture News: LifeSiteNews, American Family Association, Priests for Life
* Let's never forget the horrific reality of abortion (images)...#1 cause of death in America. Let's courageously share ProLife Truth (John 14:6) to create social tension for exposing abortion's unjust peace...rebuilding a Culture of Life (Matt 5:16) and setting the unborn free!

Our Prayers: Those who pray together stay together. Fasting ideas in footnote below.
* Prayer to end abortion, abused children, chastity, peace, our enemies, our troops, depression/ despair, prisoners, ProLife politicians, illnesses/injuries, jobs, natural disasters, addictions, Matt Kayser (classmate Lt Rosslyn Schulte was killed), Carla Neal (Dan, Denise, Ruth & Julie), Sue Peters (Wendi Kotlinsky cancer treatment)

* NEW: Carol Nesbitt (my cousin Rob Mischel with inoperable brain cancer, two young children, and wife who passed away from cancer)

Feast Day: St. Peter and St. Marcellinus (martyrs)

Faith Quote: My oldest brother Joe directs a homeless shelter in Bloomington, IN. When he is asked how much to give to the poor, he likes to quote Mother Teresa, "give until it hurts." The full context of her quote..."This is the meaning of true love, to give until it hurts."

Through Christ our Lord,

Pat

Phil 4:13

* Prayer: Prayer connects us with God's will & His miracles, changing us & helping others. 'If you pray that God will move a mountain and He doesn’t, assume Christ wants you to climb it instead.'
* Fasting: Let's fast from things that take our eyes off Jesus (selfishness, bitterness, being so critical, impatience, gossip, excessive video games, etc) and take on things that fix our eyes on Jesus (selflessness, kindness, compassion, forgiveness, patience, understanding, caring, helping, listening).
* Defend the unborn: 'Rescue those who are unjustly sentenced to death; don’t stand back and let them die' (Prov 24:11). 'Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you' (Jer 1:5). 'It is a great poverty that a child must die that you might live as you wish' (Blessed Mother Teresa).
* Evangelization: Let's make room for unbelievers (be a friend, make a friend, lead friend to Christ) and perpetual re-evangelization of self and those near us, by way of daily prayer (relationship) and following Christ's example of selfless love, mercy, and service.

Let's joyfully invite others to join our LIFE Group...Rich or Pat will gladly add them to the devotions distribution list (Mark 16:15)!

Acts 4:34-35 (stewardship vs. ownership)

Welcome God every morning before your work by taking ~5 min to read this Living In Faith Exchange (LIFE) Group devotion (life-devotions.blogspot.com), which has snippets from Living Faith. All whatsoever you do in word or in work, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Col. 3:17

Those who owned property or houses would sell them, bring the proceeds of the sale, and put them at the feet of the apostles, and they were distributed to each according to need. Acts 4:34-35

Living Faith snippets: "Talk of redistribution of tangible wealth can make us uncomfortable. We tell ourselves that large-scale attempts to do it in the modern world have failed, primarily because those responsible were mere mortals and looked out for themselves, not the greater good. What if "property" included the time to drive a neighbor to the doctor or a donation of accounting skills to a parish ministry? If we pool our time, talent and treasure to help others because we burn to grow closer to Christ, can that be wrong?" by Melanie Rigney

Rich's comments: We take pride in ownership, because we believe that we have earned our possessions, but we easily forget that these things are gifts from God that have been entrusted to us. We are called to be good stewards of His gifts. I believe that God has spread these resources disproportionately across the globe as a test of our love. He has given us this responsibility on Earth to do His will so that He may entrust us with greater responsibility in Heaven. Lord, thank you for the gifts that you have bestowed upon us and the responsibility to do Your will. Amen.

Faith Challenge: Let's challenge each other to joyfully live out the Good News.

* NEW: Evaluate how you use God's resources in your life and cut out the waste by striving to live a simpler life.

Counter-Culture News: LifeSiteNews, American Family Association, Priests for Life
* Let's never forget the horrific reality of abortion (images)...#1 cause of death in America. Let's courageously share ProLife Truth (John 14:6) to create social tension for exposing abortion's unjust peace...rebuilding a Culture of Life (Matt 5:16) and setting the unborn free!

Our Prayers: Those who pray together stay together. Fasting ideas below.
* Prayer to end abortion, abused children, chastity, peace, our enemies, our troops, depression/ despair, prisoners, ProLife politicians, illnesses/injuries, jobs, natural disasters, addictions

Feast Day: St. Anselm

Faith Quote: "Live simply so that others may simply live." - Mother Teresa

Through Christ our Lord,

Rich

Romans 12:12

* Prayer: Prayer connects us with God's will & His miracles, changing us & helping others. 'If you pray that God will move a mountain and He doesn’t, assume Christ wants you to climb it instead.'

* Fasting: Let's fast from things that take our eyes off Jesus (selfishness, bitterness, being so critical, impatience, gossip, excessive video games, etc) and take on things that fix our eyes on Jesus (selflessness, kindness, compassion, forgiveness, patience, understanding, caring, helping, listening).

* Defend the unborn: 'Rescue those who are unjustly sentenced to death; don’t stand back and let them die' (Prov 24:11). 'Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you' (Jer 1:5). 'It is a great poverty that a child must die that you might live as you wish' (Blessed Mother Teresa).

* Evangelization: Let's make room for unbelievers (be a friend, make a friend, lead friend to Christ) and perpetual re-evangelization of self and those near us, by way of daily prayer (relationship) and following Christ's example of selfless love, mercy, and service.

Let's joyfully invite others to join our LIFE Group...Rich or Pat will gladly add them to the devotions distribution list (Mark 16:15)!

Genesis 2:15 (big cell phone to God)

Welcome God every morning before your work by taking ~5 min to read this Living In Faith Exchange (LIFE) Group devotion (life-devotions.blogspot.com), which has snippets from Living Faith. All whatsoever you do in word or in work, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Col. 3:17

The Lord God then took the man and settled him in the garden of Eden, to cultivate and care for it. Genesis 2:15

Living Faith snippets: "As God's finest creation, we human beings are part of one integral earth community, and we have a special responsibility to be good stewards of the earth. We must tenderly care for the ill in our midst, whether the ill be other human beings or planet Earth itself." Sr. Melannie Svoboda

LIFE Group nuggets:

* Angi Castle pointed out that yesterday's verse is a reflection of our culture war. "You disregard God's command, but cling to human tradition." Mark 7:8

* In Paige Castle's 3rd grade Sunday School class, we talked about being on guard against things becoming "gods" that take us away from our merciful and gracious God (First Commandment). A couple nights ago, Paige cut out two paper cell phones (one big, one small). She said, "Dad, the big cell phone is to God, and the little cell phone is to everything else."

* Mike Castle shared this music video, http://www.bornagainamerican.org/.

* Ross Paulick shared this article, Fla. doctor loses license after botched abortion.

Faith Challenge: Let's challenge each other to joyfully live out the Good News. Suggestions?

* NEW: Read the very short book of James (in the Bible)...you will not be disappointed!

Culture War/ProLife News: LifeSiteNews, American Family Association, Priests for Life
* Let's never forget the horrific reality of abortion (images).

* NEW: Obama's 'duplicity' on life issue, "In his speech Thursday morning, the president stated, "There is no God who condones taking the life of an innocent human being.""

Our Prayers: Those who pray together stay together. Fasting ideas below.
* Let's pray for courage to share ProLife Truth to those around us (John 14:6)...rebuilding a Culture of Life (Matt 5:16).
* Prayer to end abortion, chastity, peace, our enemies, our troops, depression/ despair, prisoners, Pres Obama becomes ProLife, lack of faith, illnesses/injuries, Rich Reich (Fr. Tim cancer surgery), Liz Curry (abused children), Zek Kazanca (PhD exam prep), Bro Joe Castle (unresolved medical issue), Peters family (JP updates), Mark Nelson (Pat Barton cancer surgery), Rob Ouellette (Leo & Suzanne)

* NEW: Ann Schaefbauer (Ian Keisacker, 1st grader, who is recovering from brain surgery)

Feast Day: Our Lady of Lourdes

Faith Quote: "Man's real and most profound sickness is the absence of God, the absence of the source of truth and love." Pope Benedict XVI

Through Christ for ProLife,

Pat
Phil 4:13

* Bible: Readings and reflections for today.
* Prayer: Prayer connects us with God's will & His miracles, thereby changing us & helping others. Wayne Watson, “When God's people pray, there is hope reborn, there is sin forgiven, and miracles you can't explain await!” 'If you pray that God will move a mountain and He doesn’t, assume Christ wants you to climb it instead.'
* Fasting: Let's fast from things that take our eyes off Jesus (selfishness, bitterness, being so critical, impatience, gossip, excessive video games, etc) and take on things that fix our eyes on Jesus (selflessness, kindness, compassion, forgiveness, patience, understanding, caring, helping, listening).
* Defend the unborn: 'Rescue those who are unjustly sentenced to death; don’t stand back and let them die' (Prov 24:11). 'Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you' (Jer 1:5). 'It is a great poverty that a child must die that you might live as you wish' (Blessed Mother Teresa).
* Evangelization: Let's make room for unbelievers (be a friend, make a friend, lead friend to Christ) and perpetual re-evangelization of self and those near us, by way of daily prayer (relationship) and following Christ's example of selfless love, mercy, and service.
Let's joyfully invite others to join our LIFE Group...Rich or Pat will gladly add them to the devotions distribution list (Mark 16:15)!

Luke 14:13-14 (freedom in giving)

Welcome God every morning before your work by taking ~5 min to read this Living In Faith Exchange (LIFE) Group devotion (life-devotions.blogspot.com), which has snippets from Living Faith (livingfaith.com). All whatsoever you do in word or in work, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Col. 3:17

When you hold a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind; blessed indeed will you be because of their inability to repay you. Luke 14:13-14

Living Faith snippets: "Jesus very clearly states the importance of caring for people who will not be able to pay us back. Very simply, once you let go of measuring what you've given or received, you become truly free, like Jesus, to do what is generous and loving for its own sake." by Fr. James Krings

Rich's comments: When we reach out and give to others, it is difficult to not seek notice and praise. Our hearts become motivated by the praise we will be getting, not by the pure joy of opening to the needs of another. Mother Teresa once said, "The success of love is in the loving - it is not in the result of loving." Even in giving, we can become locked in a prison of our own self-interest. The only way to break out of this prison is to reach out and give without regard for the response we may receive.

* Each day until the election let's say this novena prayer together: www.priestsforlife.org/novenas/election-day-novena.aspx.

Our Prayers: Abortion's end Prayer to End Abortion, chastity, our enemies, our troops, natural disasters, depression/ despair, dementia, cancer cure, prisoners, leaders integrity, loss of loved ones, lack of faith, Rob (St. Patrick's parish prayer list), Tina Castle (Jason Peter's son).

* Lets pray for a change of heart for all Pro-Death candidates. Let's pray for courage to let Christ lead our vote and to publicly talk about ProLife. As part of our election prayer each day, let's fast from something that takes our eyes off of Jesus (selfishness, bitterness, being so critical, impatience, judgment, gossip, excessive video games, etc) and/or take on something that fixes our eyes on Jesus (selflessness, kindness, compassion, forgiveness, patience, understanding, caring, helping, listening).

* Wed night is pray with your family night...the family that prays together, stays together!

Feast Day: We remember today St. Martin de Porres, Patron of Social Justice.

http://www.catholic.org/saints/saint.

Faith Quote: "There is a realm of time where the goal is not to have but to be, not to own but to give, not to control, but to share." - Abraham Joshua Heschel

Through Christ Our Lord,

Rich

Romans 12:12

* Today's Bible readings at www.usccb.org/nab/today.shtml. Reflection on readings at http://www.daily-meditations.org/index2.html
* Prayer: Prayer connects us with God's will & His miracles, thereby changing us & helping others. Wayne Watson lyrics, “When God's people pray, there is hope reborn, there is sin forgiven, and miracles you can't explain await!” 'If you pray that God will move a mountain and He doesn’t, assume Christ wants you to climb it instead & see Him.'
* Defend the unborn: 'Rescue those who are unjustly sentenced to death; don’t stand back and let them die' (Prov 24:11). 'Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you' (Jer 1:5). 'It is a great poverty that a child must die that you might lie as you wish' Blessed Mother Teresa.
* Evangelization: Let's make room for non-believers (be a friend, make a friend, lead friend to Christ) and perpetual re-evangelization of self and those near us, by way of daily prayer (relationship) and following Christ's example of selfless love, mercy, and service.
Let's joyfully live out the Good News and gladly tell others about it (Mark 16:15)!

Matthew 19:23 (stewardship)

* Welcome God every morning before work by taking ~5 min to read this Living In Faith Exchange (LIFE) Group devotion (life-devotions.blogspot.com), which has snippets from Living Faith (livingfaith.com). All whatsoever you do in word or in work, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Col. 3:17

Jesus said to his disciples, "Amen, I say to you, it will be hard for one who is rich to enter the kingdom of heaven." Matthew 19:23

Living Faith snippets: "God generously bestows blessings upon us so that we, in turn, may be transformed into blessings for others. From a Christian perspective, money confers upon its recipients the obligation to acknowledge the blessing of wealth as principled stewards. We need to remember that the doorway of heaven narrows whenever we act as though our wealth represents power to be wielded over others." by Phillis Harris-Brooks

Rich's comments: Stan Lee, the writer for Spider-man comics, wrote "With great power comes great responsibility." You might not have been blessed with Spider-man's web throwing abilities, but if you have been blessed with wealth, you might understand the difficulty in sharing what you believe you have worked very hard for. One way of looking at it is that everything belongs to God including our wealth. God gave you the abilities to earn that money. You might have heard the story about the man who offered his money to God by throwing it up into the air. The point that the man probably missed in his gravitational exercise was that God wanted him to take the responsibility of enriching other's lives. Lord, help me to understand my responsibilities as a steward of Your gifts. Help me choose to use them in a way that builds Your kingdom. Amen.

ProLife news: http://www.lifenews.com/.

Our Prayers: Abortion, chastity, our enemies/our troops, natural disasters, depression/ despair, dementia, cancer, prisoners, Liz Curry (Drew, 2 yr old, kidney tumor surgery recovery)

Faith Quote: "Live simply so that others may simply live." by Mother Theresa

Through Christ Our Lord,

Rich

Romans 12:12

* Today's Bible readings at www.usccb.org/nab/today.shtml. Reflection on readings at http://www.daily-meditations.org/index2.html
* Prayer: Prayer connects us with God's will & His miracles, thereby changing us & helping others. Wayne Watson lyrics, “When God's people pray, there is hope reborn, there is sin forgiven, and miracles you can't explain await!” "If you pray that God will move a mountain and He doesn’t, assume Christ wants you to climb it instead & see Him."
* Defend the unborn: 'Rescue those who are unjustly sentenced to death; don’t stand back and let them die' (Prov 24:11). 'Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you' (Jer 1:5). 'It is a great poverty that a child must die that you might live as you wish' Blessed Mother Teresa. Prayer to End Abortion. Ask Blessed Margaret of Castello for her prayers to end abortion.
* Evangelization: Let's make room for non-believers (be a friend, make a friend, lead friend to Christ) and perpetual re-evangelization of self and those near us, by way of daily prayer (relationship) and following Christ's example of selfless love, mercy, and service.
Let's joyfully live out the Good News and gladly tell others about it (Mark 16:15)!

Matt 17:24-25 (running with God)

* Welcome God every morning before work by taking ~5 min to read this Living In Faith Exchange (LIFE) Group devotion (life-devotions.blogspot.com), which has snippets from Living Faith (livingfaith.com). All whatsoever you do in word or in work, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Col. 3:17

When they came to Capernaum, the collectors of the temple tax approached Peter and said, "Doesn't your teacher pay the temple tax?" "Yes," he said. Matt 17:24-25

Living Faith snippets: "St. Thomas Aquinas defends private ownership as an effective means to serve individuals and the community. A society organized solely around getting more wealth would leave nothing for the common good. Jesus confronts the political and religious authorities in striking ways. He reminds us how to live together amidst these differences. "But that we may not offend them" urges civility, not compromise or conformity. God, help us to rebuild our fractured communities." by Jeanne Schuler

Pat nuggets:
* New Christians (Baptism, Amen!): Luke Hansens

* My dear wife, Angi, brought it to my attention that the American hopeful for winning the Olympic Marathon, Ryan Hall, is a devout Christian. Watch his inspiring testimony video (8 min) at http://www.godtube.com/view_video.php?viewkey=e593f8eba239bada1a0c. His faith has provided him the freedom "to run with a heart full of passion and love for God." "If I can praise God with all my body, mind, and soul, then I will walk away from the finish line satisfied." Running is yet another platform to celebrate life, meet God, praise God, and spread the Good News!

* Kathy-jo Peterson shared this: "Maria died Sunday night..I made this [see link] for her family with a designer friend http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v84/kaje62/MariaCollage_8x10low.jpg?t=1218172316

ProLife news: http://www.lifenews.com/.

Feast Day (St. Claire): "Saint Clare of Assisi (July 16, 1194 – August 11, 1253) was one of the first followers of Saint Francis of Assisi. She founded the Order of Poor Ladies, a monastic religious order for women in the Franciscan tradition. Following her death, the order was renamed as the Order of Saint Clare, commonly referred to as the Poor Clares." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clare_of_Assisi

* If you ever travel to Italy, be sure to visit the town of Assisi!

Our Prayers: Abortion, chastity, our enemies/our troops, natural disasters, depression/ despair, dementia, cancer, prisoners, Liz Curry (Drew, 2 yr old, kidney tumor surgery recovery), Deb Kayser (rotator cuff and hand surgeries), Jomary Chenet (daughter Jolie recovering from surgery)

* New: Ross and Kacie Paulick (discerning God's direction for their lives)

* Kay Castle shared the Serenity Prayer: "God grant me the Serenity to accept the things I cannot change. Courage to change the things I can. And the Wisdom to know the difference."

Faith Quotes:
* Dani Pavelk shared this Mother Teresa quote: "If we have no peace, it is because we have forgotten that we belong to each other."

* Joel Cain shared this verse in our department Chemists For Christ (CFC) Bible study announcement email: "Taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ.” 2 Cor. 10:5b

Through Christ Our Lord,
Pat
Phil 4:13

* Today's Bible readings at www.usccb.org/nab/today.shtml. Reflection on readings at http://www.daily-meditations.org/index2.html
* Prayer: Prayer connects us with God's will & His miracles, thereby changing us & helping others. Wayne Watson lyrics, “When God's people pray, there is hope reborn, there is sin forgiven, and miracles you can't explain await!” "If you pray that God will move a mountain and He doesn’t, assume Christ wants you to climb it instead & see Him."
* Defend the unborn: 'Rescue those who are unjustly sentenced to death; don’t stand back and let them die' (Prov 24:11). 'Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you' (Jer 1:5). 'It is a great poverty that a child must die that you might live as you wish' Blessed Mother Teresa. Prayer to End Abortion. Ask Blessed Margaret of Castello for her prayers to end abortion.
* Evangelization: Let's make room for non-believers (be a friend, make a friend, lead friend to Christ) and perpetual re-evangelization of self and those near us, by way of daily prayer (relationship) and following Christ's example of selfless love, mercy, and service.
Let's joyfully live out the Good News and gladly tell others about it (Mark 16:15)!

Matt 5:42 (generosity)

* Welcome God every morning before work by taking ~5 min to read this Living In Faith Exchange (LIFE) Group devotion (life-devotions.blogspot.com), which has snippets from Living Faith (livingfaith.com).

Give to the one who asks of you, and do not turn your back on one who wants to borrow. Matt 5:42

Living Faith snippets: "For all the drama of dealing with a panhandler, it's nothing compared to the day in, day out requests. "My brother just got laid off. Can we lend him his house payment until he finds work?" "Can I borrow the car?" "Do you have a minute to look at this proposal?" I can feel my body stiffen, "What's this going to cost me?" Jesus [described] God's own generosity toward us. As we are able to receive with grateful acknowledgement of the Giver, so will we be able to heed the commands of the Son. Lord, give me a generous and willing heart." by Mark Neilsen

ProLife news: lifesitenews.com

Our Prayers: Abortion, our enemies, our troops, China earthquake, Myanmar cyclone, depression/despair, prisoners, Vicki Miller (her cancer treatment)

Through Christ for ProLife,

Pat

Phil 4:13

* Outreach: Let's gladly invite those near us to join our LIFE Devotions group (Mark 16:15), providing routine spiritual connection and strength (simply forward a devotion with an invitation).

* Today's Bible readings at www.usccb.org/nab/today.shtml.

* Prayer: Prayer connects us with God's will & His miracles, thereby changing us & helping others. Wayne Watson lyrics, “When God's people pray, there is hope reborn, there is sin forgiven, and miracles you can't explain await!” "If you pray that God will move a mountain and He doesn’t, assume Christ wants you to climb it instead & see Him."

* Defend the unborn: 'Rescue those who are unjustly sentenced to death; don’t stand back and let them die' (Prov 24:11). 'Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you' (Jer 1:5). 'It is a great poverty that a child must die that you might live as you wish' Blessed Mother Teresa. Click for Prayer to End Abortion.

* Evangelization: Let's make room for non-believers (be a friend, make a friend, lead friend to Christ) and perpetual re-evangelization of self and those near us, by way of daily prayer (relationship) and following Christ's example of selfless love, mercy, and service.

Let's joyfully live out the Good News and gladly tell others about it (Mark 16:15)!

Mark 12:9 (fruits of our labor, feeding the poor)

* Welcome God every morning before work by taking ~5 min to read this Living In Faith Exchange (LIFE) Group devotion (life-devotions.blogspot.com), which has snippets from Living Faith (livingfaith.com).

What [then] will the owner of the vineyard do? He will come...and give the vineyard to others. Mark 12:9

Living Faith snippets: "My pride tells me that I have to do something in order to receive. But such is not the way of God. He loves all of creation, even sinners like me. If I am unwilling to surrender them [fruits of our labor] in gratitude, the owner will relieve me of my duties. After all, who else but God is deserving of the fruit?" by Julia Schloss

Pat nuggets: "Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed you?" (Matt 25:37b). When called upon, are we surrendering the fruits of our labor to God through the poor who can't feed themselves and their families? At Mass yesterday, a visiting priest said that he came as a "beggar" for an organization that feeds thousands of people in the Caribbean and Latin America, called "Food for the Poor" (http://www.foodforthepoor.org/). He showed us his pictures of horrific poverty, people going through trash dumps looking for recyclables to sell for food. From the brochure, "Imagine the heartache of telling your starving children you have nothing to feed them. Poverty should not be a death sentence." Food for the Poor received an apostolic blessing from Pope Benedict and received a 97% fundraising efficiency rating by Forbes magazine. In that part of the world, just $21 provides 560 children a meal, $36 feeds four families for a month, and $2,600 builds a home. See video on website.

* Since 1992, we have sponsored needy children through Compassion International (reputable C. Springs organization). Please consider sharing your ministry experiences with feeding the poor.

ProLife news: lifesitenews.com

Future Saint?: "Charting a Path to John Paul II's sainthood" http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/24926130 (posted today).

Our Prayers: Abortion, our enemies, our troops, China earthquake, Myanmar cyclone, depression/despair, prisoners (metanoia), Vicki Miller (her cancer treatment)
* New: Kay Castle (Gary and Cindy Hogman. Gary is serving in Iraq while his wife is fighting cancer.)

Through Christ for ProLife,

Pat

Phil 4:13

* Outreach: Let's gladly invite those near us to join our LIFE Devotions group (Mark 16:15), providing routine spiritual connection and strength (simply forward a devotion with an invitation).

* Today's Bible readings at www.usccb.org/nab/today.shtml.

* Prayer: Prayer connects us with God's will & His miracles, thereby changing us & helping others. Wayne Watson lyrics, “When God's people pray, there is hope reborn, there is sin forgiven, and miracles you can't explain await!” "If you pray that God will move a mountain and He doesn’t, assume Christ wants you to climb it instead & see Him."

* Defend the unborn: Websites at life-devotions.blogspot.com. 'Rescue those who are unjustly sentenced to death; don’t stand back and let them die' (Prov 24:11). 'Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you' (Jer 1:5). 'It is a great poverty that a child must die that you might live as you wish' Blessed Mother Teresa. Click for Prayer to End Abortion.

* Evangelization: Let's make room for non-believers (be a friend, make a friend, lead friend to Christ) and perpetual re-evangelization of self and those near us, by way of daily prayer (relationship) and following Christ's example of selfless love, mercy, and service.

Let's joyfully live out the Good News and gladly tell others about it (Mark 16:15)!