God knows and loves you!
Showing posts with label Apostolate. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Apostolate. Show all posts
Sunday, April 29, 2012
Thursday, August 25, 2011
Saturday, August 13, 2011
Learning More About Holy Wood Acting Studio
It was such a pleasure talking to Max Espinosa yesterday. Max is the Director of Operations at Holy Wood Acting Studio.
In anticipation of our fall 2011 article about their wonderful work, here are some links to get you better acquainted with them, in case you don't know about them already.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Jpd8DQBdlk
From Life on the Rock:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CzxkQZigVuk
From The National Catholic Register:
From Life on the Rock:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?
From The National Catholic Register:
We find their work so vital that we have posted their logo and links to their official website on the sidebars of our blogs. We also added their logo and a link to their website on Apostolate Films' page found on Joseph Karl Publishing's website.
http://www.josephkarlpublishing.blogspot.com
http://www.godisatworkinyou.blogspot.com
http://www.josephkarlpublishing.com
http://www.godisatworkinyou.blogspot.com
http://www.josephkarlpublishing.com
God is at work in Holy Wood Acting Studio!
Friday, August 12, 2011
JKP Moves Into Its New Office
Our new home better suits our needs as we get ready to bring you even more exceptional, life-changing material worthy of your great dignity.
Award-winning teen authors Nick and Andre Bottesi
The toys invaded for a while.
How ironic; we work for the King,
and there's a battle going on!
God Moments II awaits one last look
before heading to print.
Our thanks to Vincent Belanger
for setting up the sound equipment.
God is at work in you!
Award-winning teen authors Nick and Andre Bottesi
put the shelves together.
Little sister Alyssa helped a lot, too.
Little sister Alyssa helped a lot, too.
The toys invaded for a while.
How ironic; we work for the King,
and there's a battle going on!
God Moments II awaits one last look
before heading to print.
Our thanks to Vincent Belanger
for setting up the sound equipment.
God is at work in you!
Wednesday, August 10, 2011
Just Added To Fall's All-Star Line-Up: Holy Wood Acting Studio
We look forward to sharing information with you about their vital, life-changing work.
http://www.holywoodactingstudio.com/
From their official website:
Pursuing a career in the arts takes courage, vision & tenacity; but above all else it takes faith and confidence in yourself. Strong coaching is at the heart of the matter of most of successful careers. Holy Wood Acting Studio is a safe and creative professional company for all aspiring actors, performers, public speakers & voice-over artists dedicated to developing solid skills and gaining confidence as artists and individuals.
We offer a variety of solid skill development programs at all levels to help you grow exponentially your talent. These programs cover a wide & complete spectrum of distinctions and techniques essential in the pursuit of self-expression as an art form and a career. Call us now at 310.428.6165
http://www.holywoodactingstudio.com/
From their official website:
Pursuing a career in the arts takes courage, vision & tenacity; but above all else it takes faith and confidence in yourself. Strong coaching is at the heart of the matter of most of successful careers. Holy Wood Acting Studio is a safe and creative professional company for all aspiring actors, performers, public speakers & voice-over artists dedicated to developing solid skills and gaining confidence as artists and individuals.
We offer a variety of solid skill development programs at all levels to help you grow exponentially your talent. These programs cover a wide & complete spectrum of distinctions and techniques essential in the pursuit of self-expression as an art form and a career. Call us now at 310.428.6165
To view Joseph Karl Publishing's
exciting, all-star fall line-up,
visit:
http://josephkarlpublishing.blogspot.com/2011/08/falls-all-star-line-up.html
If you are looking for life-changing material,
you will find it here.
God is at work in you!
exciting, all-star fall line-up,
visit:
http://josephkarlpublishing.blogspot.com/2011/08/falls-all-star-line-up.html
If you are looking for life-changing material,
you will find it here.
God is at work in you!
Tuesday, August 9, 2011
JKP Books Ship Out
Joseph Karl Publishing + Apostolate Films
True Love Leads to Life
Inspiring, encouraging, continuing Catholic faith formation, and leading souls to Christ. Discover, read, and explore material that enriches and nourishes your soul and helps you discover how God is at work in your life.
If you are looking for life-changing,
award-winning material worthy of your great dignity,
you will find it here.
Our work adheres to Sacred Scripture, Sacred Tradition,
and the Magisterium of the Roman Catholic Church.
award-winning material worthy of your great dignity,
you will find it here.
Our work adheres to Sacred Scripture, Sacred Tradition,
and the Magisterium of the Roman Catholic Church.
"God is at work in you!"
Sunday, July 10, 2011
Your Personal Apostolate: Chapter Eight
A series of blogs presenting you the contents of the book, an award-winning love story for every soul.
Jesus’ decision to eat with tax collectors and sinners was scandalous behavior in those times. Back then Jesus sought out sinners throughout His public ministry and incurred the wrath of the Pharisees, who were enraged that He would dwell with, teach, and reach out to the sinful. Jesus continues this “scandalous” behavior to this day, by reaching out to His creation. Loving us is never scandalous behavior to God, and yet He incurs our wrath in modern times by challenging us to be sanctified. He loves us all and encourages us to embrace holiness as we reconcile with Him, with ourselves, and with each other.
This chapter discusses the importance of deciding in favor of holiness day by day, moment by moment as we seek to emulate Christ. Historically, the original sin committed by Adam and Eve altered God’s original plan for humanity and resulted in a division between man and God. Our Merciful God promised a Savior to conquer sin and restore the human race. At the appointed time, Jesus became man and took our sins upon Himself to satisfy Divine Justice. The fulfillment of God’s plan came about through the sacrificial love and obedience of Jesus.
Jesus’ Passion and Death on the Cross made passage into heaven possible for all people. However, to make God’s plan of restoration and Jesus’ sacrifice come to fruition, each of us must cooperate in our own redemption. Even though Jesus died to save us, sin continues to distance each one of us from God, and a soul can still perish of its own free will by deciding not to cooperate with God. “God wants us ‘all to be saved’; for this reason He gave us His Son, and with Him and through Him, all the means necessary for our salvation. Therefore, if a soul is not saved, it alone will be responsible” (Father Gabriel of St. Mary Magdalen, O.C.D., Divine Intimacy 6) 13.
Sanctity is “…the perfection of the Christian life… As grace grows and flourishes in our soul, its influence becomes deeper and wider; and when this influence extends effectively to all our actions, directing them solely to God’s glory and uniting us wholly to Him by means of charity, then we have reached the fullness of Christian life, sanctity” (Father Gabriel of St. Mary Magdalen, O.C.D., Divine Intimacy) 14 .“As God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience. Bear with one another and, if anyone has a complaint against another, forgive each other; just as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in the one body. And be thankful” (Colossians 3:12-15).
Our salvation depends on our efforts to live holy lives. “Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect” (Matthew 5:48). Beyond the Cross, it is our duty to merit our salvation through the choices we make and by the love that we share. Our behavior leads to very real outcomes for ourselves and for other people. Thus, sanctity becomes vital to discipleship, as we strive to live holy lives and encourage holiness in others. To live in uniformity with God’s Will, we must incorporate sanctity into our everyday existence. “If you love me, you will keep my commandments” (John 14:15).
When does sanctity begin within us? “Baptism has deposited within us this seed of sanctity, which is grace, a seed capable of blossoming into precious fruits of supernatural and eternal life for the soul which zealously cultivates it. By elevating us to the supernatural state, grace makes us capable of entering into relations with the Blessed Trinity, that is, capable of knowing and loving God as He is in Himself, as He knows and loves Himself.” (Father Gabriel of St. Mary Magdalen, O.C.D., Divine Intimacy) 15.
To grow in sanctity we must seek to become closer to God by following His commandments. We become sanctified when we honor His Sacraments, attend Mass, make frequent use of the Sacrament of Reconciliation, and do penance for our sins. We become like Jesus when we receive Him in the Eucharist. We become more Christ-like when we converse with God through prayer, read His Living Word in the Bible, and properly educate ourselves in the Catholic Faith. We become holy when we are obedient to His Will. “…our following of Christ, who is God made man, is the infallible road to sanctity. This same incarnate God is the source of all the graces we need to become holy. As He told us, ‘Without me you can do nothing.’ Without His grace, our minds are blind. Without His grace, our wills are helpless to do what He wants of us to reach that blessed destiny for which we were made” (Father John A. Hardon, S.J. Archives, Christology) 16.
Crucial to our sanctity is our efforts to become Christ–like by sharing His love however and whenever we can with other people. “It has been said it makes no difference what you believe; it all depends on how you act. This is psychological nonsense, for a man acts out of his beliefs. Our Lord placed truth or belief in Him first; then came sanctification and good deeds. But here truth was not a vague ideal, but a Person. Truth was now lovable, because only a Person is lovable. Sanctity becomes the response the heart makes to Divine truth and its unlimited mercy to humanity” (Fulton J. Sheen, Life of Christ) 17.
“Beloved, let us love one another, because love is from God; everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, for God is love. God’s love was revealed among us in this way: God sent his only Son into the world so that we might live through him. In this is love, not that we loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the atoning sacrifice for our sins. Beloved, since God loved us so much, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God lives in us, and his love is perfected in us” (1 John 4:7-12).
Sanctity is crucial to loving God, ourselves, and each other! Thus sanctity is essential to our apostolate. Each of us is called to live a life of sanctity. We become sanctified through the work we put into our relationship with God, and our sanctity bears much fruit through the work we do in our personal apostolate. May we look to God to strengthen and guide us as we grow in holiness, each and every day.
Perhaps this story could have been a personal reflection for Chapter 6, Sharing Jesus’ Passion. Certainly I felt like there were many parallels with my situation and the Passion of Jesus. Persecuted, lied about, scorned, and hated. Betrayed by one I had trusted. Mocked and forced to go to court. Mistreated further by the justice system. As the judge publicly declared the death of my marriage, I imagined Jesus publicly condemned to death. Possessions taken. The moment the sale sign was driven into the front lawn of our yard, I thought of the blows of the hammer as Jesus was nailed to the cross. Mystical suffering in union with Jesus.
An event stands out during this time of tremendous suffering which fits right into this chapter on the crucial role of sanctity. My children and I were still living in the house we had built, awaiting a sale so we could move somewhere else. The responsibilities of caring for the house and raising three small children while being persecuted inside and outside of court was crushing. Fortunately, God sent my mother and sister to help us, and they were very loving collaborators. We lived in a rural area and were rather isolated. I remember thinking once that if I died, hardly anyone would ever remember me. I was tempted during my trials to think that my life did not matter. The truth is that my life, and everyone else’s life, matters. Our lives matter a great deal!
Maintaining the large house was my responsibility. Unfortunately things often broke, very unusual because the house and almost everything in it were new. One day I was going downstairs to address the broken water filter in the basement. I remember feeling very overwhelmed by everything and not having the faintest idea what to do with the broken water filtration system. Suddenly right there on the stairs I received a very hostile interior locution: “You are nothing but a stupid housewife!” The hateful nature of the message was shocking. I thought for a moment, and then replied out loud, “I am NOT!” Good for me!
Later I contemplated why a rather unknown and isolated young mother who was being relentlessly persecuted by someone she had loved and trusted, not working for money and recently denied a worldly title would be the target of such loathing and hatred. I was a target because my life has great purpose. By loving my children, seeking to be holy in the everyday and ordinary, and striving to become closer to God, I was a huge threat to the enemies of good. Thus, evil lashed out at me with its fury.
In retrospect, I can see the attack on my personhood as a “housewife” during a time of great trial was significant for two reasons. It proves that suffering has great value, as does the ethical work we accomplish each and every day. Ordinary work is made extraordinary with the power of God’s love. My suffering has produced many precious fruit. One of the sweetest for me personally has been this book.
What does the idea of taking responsibility for your salvation by living a holy life mean to you? What are some ways that you accomplish this? What are some other ways you can increase your sanctity? In what ways have your triumphs and trials led you to become holier? Do you see your life as having great purpose? Are you embracing that purpose fully? Have you asked God to help you?
Not sure what God has in store for you?
His plans are wondrous, loving and beautiful.
Accept Him, seek Him, love Him,
and return His love to those around you.
Prepare to be amazed, for
God is at work in you!
Accept Him, seek Him, love Him,
and return His love to those around you.
Prepare to be amazed, for
God is at work in you!
Chapter Eight ~ The Crucial Role of Sanctity
Jesus went out again beside the sea; the whole crowd gathered around him, and he taught them. As he was walking along, he saw Levi son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax booth, and he said to him, “Follow me.” And he got up and followed him. And as he sat at dinner in Levi’s house, many tax collectors and sinners were also sitting with Jesus and his disciples – for there were many who followed him. When the scribes of the Pharisees saw that he was eating with sinners and tax collectors, they said to his disciples, “Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?” When Jesus heard this, he said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick; I have come to call not the righteous but sinners.” Mark 2:13-17. Jesus’ decision to eat with tax collectors and sinners was scandalous behavior in those times. Back then Jesus sought out sinners throughout His public ministry and incurred the wrath of the Pharisees, who were enraged that He would dwell with, teach, and reach out to the sinful. Jesus continues this “scandalous” behavior to this day, by reaching out to His creation. Loving us is never scandalous behavior to God, and yet He incurs our wrath in modern times by challenging us to be sanctified. He loves us all and encourages us to embrace holiness as we reconcile with Him, with ourselves, and with each other.
This chapter discusses the importance of deciding in favor of holiness day by day, moment by moment as we seek to emulate Christ. Historically, the original sin committed by Adam and Eve altered God’s original plan for humanity and resulted in a division between man and God. Our Merciful God promised a Savior to conquer sin and restore the human race. At the appointed time, Jesus became man and took our sins upon Himself to satisfy Divine Justice. The fulfillment of God’s plan came about through the sacrificial love and obedience of Jesus.
Jesus’ Passion and Death on the Cross made passage into heaven possible for all people. However, to make God’s plan of restoration and Jesus’ sacrifice come to fruition, each of us must cooperate in our own redemption. Even though Jesus died to save us, sin continues to distance each one of us from God, and a soul can still perish of its own free will by deciding not to cooperate with God. “God wants us ‘all to be saved’; for this reason He gave us His Son, and with Him and through Him, all the means necessary for our salvation. Therefore, if a soul is not saved, it alone will be responsible” (Father Gabriel of St. Mary Magdalen, O.C.D., Divine Intimacy 6) 13.
Sanctity is “…the perfection of the Christian life… As grace grows and flourishes in our soul, its influence becomes deeper and wider; and when this influence extends effectively to all our actions, directing them solely to God’s glory and uniting us wholly to Him by means of charity, then we have reached the fullness of Christian life, sanctity” (Father Gabriel of St. Mary Magdalen, O.C.D., Divine Intimacy) 14 .“As God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience. Bear with one another and, if anyone has a complaint against another, forgive each other; just as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in the one body. And be thankful” (Colossians 3:12-15).
Our salvation depends on our efforts to live holy lives. “Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect” (Matthew 5:48). Beyond the Cross, it is our duty to merit our salvation through the choices we make and by the love that we share. Our behavior leads to very real outcomes for ourselves and for other people. Thus, sanctity becomes vital to discipleship, as we strive to live holy lives and encourage holiness in others. To live in uniformity with God’s Will, we must incorporate sanctity into our everyday existence. “If you love me, you will keep my commandments” (John 14:15).
When does sanctity begin within us? “Baptism has deposited within us this seed of sanctity, which is grace, a seed capable of blossoming into precious fruits of supernatural and eternal life for the soul which zealously cultivates it. By elevating us to the supernatural state, grace makes us capable of entering into relations with the Blessed Trinity, that is, capable of knowing and loving God as He is in Himself, as He knows and loves Himself.” (Father Gabriel of St. Mary Magdalen, O.C.D., Divine Intimacy) 15.
To grow in sanctity we must seek to become closer to God by following His commandments. We become sanctified when we honor His Sacraments, attend Mass, make frequent use of the Sacrament of Reconciliation, and do penance for our sins. We become like Jesus when we receive Him in the Eucharist. We become more Christ-like when we converse with God through prayer, read His Living Word in the Bible, and properly educate ourselves in the Catholic Faith. We become holy when we are obedient to His Will. “…our following of Christ, who is God made man, is the infallible road to sanctity. This same incarnate God is the source of all the graces we need to become holy. As He told us, ‘Without me you can do nothing.’ Without His grace, our minds are blind. Without His grace, our wills are helpless to do what He wants of us to reach that blessed destiny for which we were made” (Father John A. Hardon, S.J. Archives, Christology) 16.
Crucial to our sanctity is our efforts to become Christ–like by sharing His love however and whenever we can with other people. “It has been said it makes no difference what you believe; it all depends on how you act. This is psychological nonsense, for a man acts out of his beliefs. Our Lord placed truth or belief in Him first; then came sanctification and good deeds. But here truth was not a vague ideal, but a Person. Truth was now lovable, because only a Person is lovable. Sanctity becomes the response the heart makes to Divine truth and its unlimited mercy to humanity” (Fulton J. Sheen, Life of Christ) 17.
“Beloved, let us love one another, because love is from God; everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, for God is love. God’s love was revealed among us in this way: God sent his only Son into the world so that we might live through him. In this is love, not that we loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the atoning sacrifice for our sins. Beloved, since God loved us so much, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God lives in us, and his love is perfected in us” (1 John 4:7-12).
Sanctity is crucial to loving God, ourselves, and each other! Thus sanctity is essential to our apostolate. Each of us is called to live a life of sanctity. We become sanctified through the work we put into our relationship with God, and our sanctity bears much fruit through the work we do in our personal apostolate. May we look to God to strengthen and guide us as we grow in holiness, each and every day.
The Crucial Role of Sanctity: A Personal Reflection
Several years ago my mother wisely suggested that I have a physical examination to ensure good health through my trials. The doctor found that I had an hyperactive thyroid. The specialist confirmed the diagnosis and also found a second problem: a nodule on the back of my thyroid. He suggested the nodule be biopsied to rule out cancer. While lying on the biopsy gurney in the hospital, five needles were inserted in my neck. I remember thinking that it was hard to imagine things getting any worse. There I was, a single parent in the middle of a very difficult divorce, three small children, constant persecution, house for sale, security gone, future very uncertain, two new health concerns, one possibly cancer. Perhaps this story could have been a personal reflection for Chapter 6, Sharing Jesus’ Passion. Certainly I felt like there were many parallels with my situation and the Passion of Jesus. Persecuted, lied about, scorned, and hated. Betrayed by one I had trusted. Mocked and forced to go to court. Mistreated further by the justice system. As the judge publicly declared the death of my marriage, I imagined Jesus publicly condemned to death. Possessions taken. The moment the sale sign was driven into the front lawn of our yard, I thought of the blows of the hammer as Jesus was nailed to the cross. Mystical suffering in union with Jesus.
An event stands out during this time of tremendous suffering which fits right into this chapter on the crucial role of sanctity. My children and I were still living in the house we had built, awaiting a sale so we could move somewhere else. The responsibilities of caring for the house and raising three small children while being persecuted inside and outside of court was crushing. Fortunately, God sent my mother and sister to help us, and they were very loving collaborators. We lived in a rural area and were rather isolated. I remember thinking once that if I died, hardly anyone would ever remember me. I was tempted during my trials to think that my life did not matter. The truth is that my life, and everyone else’s life, matters. Our lives matter a great deal!
Maintaining the large house was my responsibility. Unfortunately things often broke, very unusual because the house and almost everything in it were new. One day I was going downstairs to address the broken water filter in the basement. I remember feeling very overwhelmed by everything and not having the faintest idea what to do with the broken water filtration system. Suddenly right there on the stairs I received a very hostile interior locution: “You are nothing but a stupid housewife!” The hateful nature of the message was shocking. I thought for a moment, and then replied out loud, “I am NOT!” Good for me!
Later I contemplated why a rather unknown and isolated young mother who was being relentlessly persecuted by someone she had loved and trusted, not working for money and recently denied a worldly title would be the target of such loathing and hatred. I was a target because my life has great purpose. By loving my children, seeking to be holy in the everyday and ordinary, and striving to become closer to God, I was a huge threat to the enemies of good. Thus, evil lashed out at me with its fury.
In retrospect, I can see the attack on my personhood as a “housewife” during a time of great trial was significant for two reasons. It proves that suffering has great value, as does the ethical work we accomplish each and every day. Ordinary work is made extraordinary with the power of God’s love. My suffering has produced many precious fruit. One of the sweetest for me personally has been this book.
The Crucial Role of Sanctity: For the Reader
What does the idea of taking responsibility for your salvation by living a holy life mean to you? What are some ways that you accomplish this? What are some other ways you can increase your sanctity? In what ways have your triumphs and trials led you to become holier? Do you see your life as having great purpose? Are you embracing that purpose fully? Have you asked God to help you?
Dear Lord,
Please help us to embrace
Your magnificent offer
of redemption and sanctification,
made possible and obtainable by
the power of
Your great love for each of us.
May we strive to aid others
in this quest we all share
through the loving service
of our apostolate.
Amen.
Please help us to embrace
Your magnificent offer
of redemption and sanctification,
made possible and obtainable by
the power of
Your great love for each of us.
May we strive to aid others
in this quest we all share
through the loving service
of our apostolate.
Amen.
Next: Chapter 9 ~ The Greatest Commandment
Monday, July 4, 2011
Happy Birthday, United States of America!
God Bless America!
A priceless gift for you
on our nation's birthday:
http://trueloveleadstolife.blogspot.com/2011/07/priceless-gift-for-americans-on-our.html
God is at work in you.
A priceless gift for youon our nation's birthday:
http://trueloveleadstolife.blogspot.com/2011/07/priceless-gift-for-americans-on-our.html
God is at work in you.
Saturday, July 2, 2011
Thursday, June 30, 2011
Your Personal Apostolate: Chapter Seven
A series of blogs presenting you the contents of the book, an award-winning love story for every soul.
Chapter Eight ~ The Crucial Role of Sanctity
Not sure what God has in store for you?
His plans are wondrous, loving and beautiful.
Accept Him, seek Him, love Him,
and return His love to those around you.
Prepare to be amazed, for
God is at work in you!
Accept Him, seek Him, love Him,
and return His love to those around you.
Prepare to be amazed, for
God is at work in you!
Chapter 7 ~ His Resurrection And Our Journey
Dear Lord,
May we find
personal strength and healing
in the example of
Your glorious Resurrection.
Help us to persevere beyond trials
to recapture joy and purpose
as we serve You
through our dynamic and evolving
personal ministries.
Amen.
While they were talking about this, Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.” They were startled and terrified, and thought that they were seeing a ghost. He said to them, “Why are you frightened, and why do doubts arise in your hearts? Look at my hands and my feet; see that it is I myself. Touch me and see; for a ghost does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have.” And when he had said this, he showed them his hands and his feet. While in their joy they were disbelieving and still wondering, he said to them, “Have you anything here to eat?” They gave him a piece of broiled fish, and he took it and ate in their presence. Then he said to them, “These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you – that everything written about me in the law of Moses, the prophets, and the psalms must be fulfilled.” Then he opened their minds to understand the scriptures, and he said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Messiah is to suffer and to rise from the dead on the third day, and that repentance and forgiveness of sins is to be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem.“ Luke 24:36-47.
Imagine what life was like for Mary, the Apostles, and the followers of Jesus immediately after the brutal torture and death of the most loving of men. They must have experienced terrible shock and profound grief. Perhaps they also felt confusion and uncertainty as they did in Jesus’ final days: “They went on from there and passed through Galilee. He did not want anyone to know it; for he was teaching his disciples, saying to them, “The Son of Man is to be betrayed into human hands, and they will kill him, and three days after being killed, he will rise again.” But they did not understand what he was saying and were afraid to ask him” (Mark 9:30-32).
All was not said and done with the Death of Jesus, for on the third day He Resurrected as foretold in the Old Testament. Imagine the joy His beloved Mother, Apostles, and followers experienced when Jesus appeared to them! “Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. When they saw Him, they worshiped Him; but some doubted. And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:16-20).
Jesus’ Mother and His Apostles and followers experienced dramatic changes to their apostolic life after His Death and Resurrection. They accepted God’s Will and the Catholic Church spread throughout the world. In the previous chapter we discussed the role suffering plays in our relationship with God and in our service to one another. We also considered how suffering can transform us as followers of Christ. Trials can stimulate us to consider taking a path that perhaps we never even considered, but is more in conformity with God’s Will.
Imagine if God bluntly said to several of the Apostles, “In three years I want you to stop fishing. The work you have done your entire adult life is about to change. After Jesus’ Crucifixion I will institute a new religion called Catholicism and you are going to travel extensively to bring it to people all over the world.” Visualize what their reaction would have been! Instead, Jesus prepared His followers for their career changes over the course of His public ministry and also after His death. The Holy Spirit enlightened them during Pentecost, and God continued to guide them through the Holy Spirit and Mary, for the rest of their lives. Similarly, God prepares and guides each of us with His loving “Triune approach,” through Mary, His Mother.
Trials may lead us to look outside our limited view so we can consider God’s plan for our lives. However, difficulties can throw our lives out of balance. Unresolved fear and trauma can limit what God can do through us. In the Bible passage quoted at the start of this chapter, Jesus acknowledged the feelings of His Mother and the Apostles when He appeared to them after His Resurrection. He stated “Why are you frightened, and why do doubts arise in your hearts?” Jesus reassured and instructed them, stating that as it was foretold, He would suffer and rise again on the third day, and repentance and forgiveness of sins should be preached to all nations in His name.
Great good came out of Jesus’ sacrifice on our behalf, and His presence after the Resurrection must have brought His beloved great comfort. Jesus did not instruct those present to get even, to hold a grudge, or to remain in despair. God had work for them to accomplish! He wants us to ask for healing and also embrace repentance and forgiveness so we can share in His great ministry of love. God is always ready and available to heal us, so ask God to mend the wounds you have acquired during your life.
In previous chapters we determined that once we have made the decision to have a relationship, that relationship requires maintenance. Just like our relationships with people have their ups and downs, so too can our relationship with God. We are especially tempted to doubt during trials. At times after we have pursued a relationship with God, we choose to still believe in Him but hold back from greater faith, intimacy, and trust. This can happen when we are disappointed or wounded. Perhaps we have been hurt by our own choices, or we have been hurt by people and events in our lives. Unresolved anger, grief, and trauma can cause us to resist when things do not work out the way we had hoped or planned.
Throughout life we need to ask God to help us recognize what our hurts are. The God who created us understands exactly how we feel and why we feel the way we do. He patiently waits for us to accept His personal invitation to greater intimacy. Each person has been given an unique mission in conjunction with God’s Divine plan. Each person has their own unique talents and is always in formation. Even if our gifts are not readily apparent, they most certainly exist! Plain and simple, the world benefits from the contribution of every person’s Christian service.
“The reason moments of catastrophe may be the eves of spiritual victory is because it is in those moments of defeat that man’s pride is most humbled and his soul thus prepared for the help of God…It is only when Peter had labored all the night and taken nothing that he was given the miraculous draught of fishes” (Fulton J. Sheen, Our Grounds For Hope) 11. Trials prepare us for growth and change. Ask God to reveal to you how He now wants you to serve Him through your personal apostolate.
When we ask God to guide us in our efforts, He will! Do not doubt, for the God who can make something out of absolutely nothing can provide for our needs. He longs to bring us peace, healing, and inspiration when we are ready. Like the Good Thief, the first step is to make the decision to acknowledge God and accept Him into our lives. Then we must put forth the effort to have our relationship with Him grow. Like the Good Thief, our reward will be great.
His Resurrection and Our Journey: A Personal Reflection
Five years ago my little daughter and I happened to be in the narthex of the chapel at our church after dropping my boys off at the school on church grounds. Daily Mass was beginning and the congregation was singing the opening hymn “Crown Him with Many Crowns.” As I listened to the song and saw the faithful gathered for Mass, I felt God gently and lovingly invite me to attend. He knew that after so many years of hardship, I really needed His strength and healing. Even though I was right by the church every morning, I had never even considered attending daily Mass.
Soon I succumbed to God’s loving advances and accepted His invitation. Some of those who attend regularly fondly refer to daily Mass as “Breakfast with the King.” What a way to start the day, in the presence of Jesus! Daily reception of Jesus in the Eucharist provided me the strength I needed to persevere. My children joined me for daily Mass in the summer and on school breaks. Their presence at those Masses was the perfect balm for the sorrow we felt at their not attending Mass every other weekend when they were not with me. Frequent reception of the Eucharist provided us the love, strength, and healing we all desperately needed.
As Pope Benedict XVI stated in his first encyclical God is Love, to become a source of love, “one must constantly drink anew from the original source, which is Jesus Christ, from whose pierced heart flows the love of God” (John 19:34) 12. Soon I began spending time in God’s Presence by visiting with Jesus in the Tabernacle just before picking my children up from school. God shared His peace and joy with me during many years of persecution. I learned of the immense value of the Eucharist, Eucharistic Exposition and Adoration, Reconciliation, Holy Hour, praying the Rosary and the Divine Mercy Chaplet, and prayer.
So many times while in great pain I affirmed my confidence in God to look after us, and He clearly demonstrated that He was. However, trauma can limit us. At times it can be very difficult to see beyond spiritual, emotional, or physical pain. For a while I chose to maintain an intimate “status quo” with God and not venture any closer to Him. Certainly part of this moratorium was due to the fact that all my energy was being used to get through each difficult day. God waited patiently for me to be ready to venture closer. He loved me all the while, never lost patience with me, and never forced me before I was ready. He understood my sorrow, my pain, and my burdens because Jesus had experienced them too, and in much greater measure.
Despite the wonders happening in my life and the gift of a solid faith, sometimes I was tempted to frustration and impatience as I looked for events to occur according to my expectations. God encouraged me to be patient in my trails. Like Jesus’ Apostles, I was being guided along a new path. Our journey through life is a learning process, and we must allow ourselves to be educated! Who better to help us than the God who made us and knows us better than we know ourselves. We must listen for God’s promptings to guide us as we make our choices, knowing that He is always there to pick up the pieces when we or others in our lives fail.
In time I began to heal and eventually was ready to approach the reason why I resisted deepening my relationship with God. My reason is a common one: God did not fix what was broken. Even though I trusted in God and loved Him, I was disappointed that my marriage ended. Certainly I understood that God does not interfere with anyone’s free will, but at the time I was disappointed that God, who can do anything, did not save my marriage. Later I came to understand that I had found God guilty of a crime He had not even committed.
Once I was far enough along in the grieving process, I was able to move beyond the trauma of my own “passion” into a personal “resurrection” and embrace my evolving apostolate. With God’s love and guidance, I made progress and experienced personal and spiritual growth in ways that I could never have imagined. God never rushed me and His promptings were always patient, gentle, and loving. May we seek to emulate Him in our relationships with ourselves and with each other.
His Resurrection and Our Journey: For the Reader
Have difficult circumstances ever led you to remain distant from God? How long did God patiently wait for you? What helped you to embrace your changing path in life? Do you view times of transition during and after trials as a chance to deepen your relationship to God and as an opportunity to grow spiritually and personally? How has your personal apostolate evolved over time?
Imagine what life was like for Mary, the Apostles, and the followers of Jesus immediately after the brutal torture and death of the most loving of men. They must have experienced terrible shock and profound grief. Perhaps they also felt confusion and uncertainty as they did in Jesus’ final days: “They went on from there and passed through Galilee. He did not want anyone to know it; for he was teaching his disciples, saying to them, “The Son of Man is to be betrayed into human hands, and they will kill him, and three days after being killed, he will rise again.” But they did not understand what he was saying and were afraid to ask him” (Mark 9:30-32).
All was not said and done with the Death of Jesus, for on the third day He Resurrected as foretold in the Old Testament. Imagine the joy His beloved Mother, Apostles, and followers experienced when Jesus appeared to them! “Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. When they saw Him, they worshiped Him; but some doubted. And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:16-20).
Jesus’ Mother and His Apostles and followers experienced dramatic changes to their apostolic life after His Death and Resurrection. They accepted God’s Will and the Catholic Church spread throughout the world. In the previous chapter we discussed the role suffering plays in our relationship with God and in our service to one another. We also considered how suffering can transform us as followers of Christ. Trials can stimulate us to consider taking a path that perhaps we never even considered, but is more in conformity with God’s Will.
Imagine if God bluntly said to several of the Apostles, “In three years I want you to stop fishing. The work you have done your entire adult life is about to change. After Jesus’ Crucifixion I will institute a new religion called Catholicism and you are going to travel extensively to bring it to people all over the world.” Visualize what their reaction would have been! Instead, Jesus prepared His followers for their career changes over the course of His public ministry and also after His death. The Holy Spirit enlightened them during Pentecost, and God continued to guide them through the Holy Spirit and Mary, for the rest of their lives. Similarly, God prepares and guides each of us with His loving “Triune approach,” through Mary, His Mother.
Trials may lead us to look outside our limited view so we can consider God’s plan for our lives. However, difficulties can throw our lives out of balance. Unresolved fear and trauma can limit what God can do through us. In the Bible passage quoted at the start of this chapter, Jesus acknowledged the feelings of His Mother and the Apostles when He appeared to them after His Resurrection. He stated “Why are you frightened, and why do doubts arise in your hearts?” Jesus reassured and instructed them, stating that as it was foretold, He would suffer and rise again on the third day, and repentance and forgiveness of sins should be preached to all nations in His name.
Great good came out of Jesus’ sacrifice on our behalf, and His presence after the Resurrection must have brought His beloved great comfort. Jesus did not instruct those present to get even, to hold a grudge, or to remain in despair. God had work for them to accomplish! He wants us to ask for healing and also embrace repentance and forgiveness so we can share in His great ministry of love. God is always ready and available to heal us, so ask God to mend the wounds you have acquired during your life.
In previous chapters we determined that once we have made the decision to have a relationship, that relationship requires maintenance. Just like our relationships with people have their ups and downs, so too can our relationship with God. We are especially tempted to doubt during trials. At times after we have pursued a relationship with God, we choose to still believe in Him but hold back from greater faith, intimacy, and trust. This can happen when we are disappointed or wounded. Perhaps we have been hurt by our own choices, or we have been hurt by people and events in our lives. Unresolved anger, grief, and trauma can cause us to resist when things do not work out the way we had hoped or planned.
Throughout life we need to ask God to help us recognize what our hurts are. The God who created us understands exactly how we feel and why we feel the way we do. He patiently waits for us to accept His personal invitation to greater intimacy. Each person has been given an unique mission in conjunction with God’s Divine plan. Each person has their own unique talents and is always in formation. Even if our gifts are not readily apparent, they most certainly exist! Plain and simple, the world benefits from the contribution of every person’s Christian service.
“The reason moments of catastrophe may be the eves of spiritual victory is because it is in those moments of defeat that man’s pride is most humbled and his soul thus prepared for the help of God…It is only when Peter had labored all the night and taken nothing that he was given the miraculous draught of fishes” (Fulton J. Sheen, Our Grounds For Hope) 11. Trials prepare us for growth and change. Ask God to reveal to you how He now wants you to serve Him through your personal apostolate.
When we ask God to guide us in our efforts, He will! Do not doubt, for the God who can make something out of absolutely nothing can provide for our needs. He longs to bring us peace, healing, and inspiration when we are ready. Like the Good Thief, the first step is to make the decision to acknowledge God and accept Him into our lives. Then we must put forth the effort to have our relationship with Him grow. Like the Good Thief, our reward will be great.
His Resurrection and Our Journey: A Personal Reflection
Five years ago my little daughter and I happened to be in the narthex of the chapel at our church after dropping my boys off at the school on church grounds. Daily Mass was beginning and the congregation was singing the opening hymn “Crown Him with Many Crowns.” As I listened to the song and saw the faithful gathered for Mass, I felt God gently and lovingly invite me to attend. He knew that after so many years of hardship, I really needed His strength and healing. Even though I was right by the church every morning, I had never even considered attending daily Mass.
Soon I succumbed to God’s loving advances and accepted His invitation. Some of those who attend regularly fondly refer to daily Mass as “Breakfast with the King.” What a way to start the day, in the presence of Jesus! Daily reception of Jesus in the Eucharist provided me the strength I needed to persevere. My children joined me for daily Mass in the summer and on school breaks. Their presence at those Masses was the perfect balm for the sorrow we felt at their not attending Mass every other weekend when they were not with me. Frequent reception of the Eucharist provided us the love, strength, and healing we all desperately needed.
As Pope Benedict XVI stated in his first encyclical God is Love, to become a source of love, “one must constantly drink anew from the original source, which is Jesus Christ, from whose pierced heart flows the love of God” (John 19:34) 12. Soon I began spending time in God’s Presence by visiting with Jesus in the Tabernacle just before picking my children up from school. God shared His peace and joy with me during many years of persecution. I learned of the immense value of the Eucharist, Eucharistic Exposition and Adoration, Reconciliation, Holy Hour, praying the Rosary and the Divine Mercy Chaplet, and prayer.
So many times while in great pain I affirmed my confidence in God to look after us, and He clearly demonstrated that He was. However, trauma can limit us. At times it can be very difficult to see beyond spiritual, emotional, or physical pain. For a while I chose to maintain an intimate “status quo” with God and not venture any closer to Him. Certainly part of this moratorium was due to the fact that all my energy was being used to get through each difficult day. God waited patiently for me to be ready to venture closer. He loved me all the while, never lost patience with me, and never forced me before I was ready. He understood my sorrow, my pain, and my burdens because Jesus had experienced them too, and in much greater measure.
Despite the wonders happening in my life and the gift of a solid faith, sometimes I was tempted to frustration and impatience as I looked for events to occur according to my expectations. God encouraged me to be patient in my trails. Like Jesus’ Apostles, I was being guided along a new path. Our journey through life is a learning process, and we must allow ourselves to be educated! Who better to help us than the God who made us and knows us better than we know ourselves. We must listen for God’s promptings to guide us as we make our choices, knowing that He is always there to pick up the pieces when we or others in our lives fail.
In time I began to heal and eventually was ready to approach the reason why I resisted deepening my relationship with God. My reason is a common one: God did not fix what was broken. Even though I trusted in God and loved Him, I was disappointed that my marriage ended. Certainly I understood that God does not interfere with anyone’s free will, but at the time I was disappointed that God, who can do anything, did not save my marriage. Later I came to understand that I had found God guilty of a crime He had not even committed.
Once I was far enough along in the grieving process, I was able to move beyond the trauma of my own “passion” into a personal “resurrection” and embrace my evolving apostolate. With God’s love and guidance, I made progress and experienced personal and spiritual growth in ways that I could never have imagined. God never rushed me and His promptings were always patient, gentle, and loving. May we seek to emulate Him in our relationships with ourselves and with each other.
His Resurrection and Our Journey: For the Reader
Have difficult circumstances ever led you to remain distant from God? How long did God patiently wait for you? What helped you to embrace your changing path in life? Do you view times of transition during and after trials as a chance to deepen your relationship to God and as an opportunity to grow spiritually and personally? How has your personal apostolate evolved over time?
Dear Lord,
May we find
personal strength and healing
in the example of
Your glorious Resurrection.
Help us to persevere beyond trials
to recapture joy and purpose
as we serve You
through our dynamic and evolving
personal ministries.
Amen.
Next:
Chapter Eight ~ The Crucial Role of Sanctity
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