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As Christians, we know that we are to evangelize and bring the Gospel to others, each in our own unique way.
If our message sounds just like the message of the secular culture, we are not giving the people Christianity.
We are giving the people nothing different than earthly things and our message is pointless and does nothing to bring people to Christ.
The world was changed, because Christianity is so radically different than anything humans can come up with and our ancestors in the Faith risked it all to bring a message that was unlike anything anybody had ever heard.
Christianity is not to be conformed to the ways of the world. We are called to holiness and that will make us look, sound, and live differently. To offer anything else, Catholic Pilgrims, is simply to offer the world’s message repackaged and delivered right back to them which is meaningless.
“The one who is of the earth is earthly and speaks of earthly things.” John 3:31
Live the Faith boldly and travel well this Thursday.
*Church at Fatima
ITALY PILGRIMAGE
Come on pilgrimage with the Catholic Pilgrim!
OCTOBER 23-31, 2023
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When leaving California for Colorado last Friday, my plane was on the runway next in line for takeoff when the captain came on and said, "Well, folks, Denver just went on a ground stop for at least an hour, so we are on hold until we hear back from them." Immediately, everyone gave audible groans. The lady next to me got very upset. She snagged a flight attendant walking by and asked if she could get off the plane and go get another flight. The agent told her not at this time as we were sitting on the runway. The lady was ticked and quickly dialed a family member and started cussing up a storm about the situation. We taxied back to the gate and they allowed us to get off for 30 minutes if we wanted. I chose to get off and stretch my legs. When it was time to board again, I got to my seat, saw my grumpy row partner sitting there, and, smiling, I said, "How are you doing?" "Oh, I'm okay, I guess." We preceded to have a conversation and soon she was showing me pictures of her grandkids. When the other row partner sat down, he joined our conversation and soon all three of us were joking and laughing. As we took off, the lady who had once been grumpy grabbed her pillow and said, "Yep, I just try to take things as they come." Then she fell asleep. On my way back from Colorado, I was talking to a gate agent about something and she was clearly irritated. She wasn't super helpful and wasn't listening that well. As I was waiting to get on the flight, I stood right near her counter and could hear her conversations with each person coming up for help. Her responses were snippy and a bit strained with irritation. Once the line was gone, I turned and looked at her. She looked about to burst. I smiled and said, "Deep breaths. You got them all through the line." She actually took that deep breath, relaxed a bit, and said, "It's just been a bit overwhelming." Then she smiled for the first time. I smiled back, "I'm sure, but you've got this." It is so easy to get wrapped up in our own world and our own problems, Catholic Pilgrims. Sometimes all it takes to help someone is just to notice them. As Christians, our eyes should be looking for opportunities to connect with people and offer them charity even in the smallest of ways. Have a blessed Tuesday.
Continue ReadingI think a big reason that we struggle with going to Christ and receiving His mercy is because we struggle to give it to others ourselves. Don't get me wrong, I loathe false compassion and false mercy because neither one of those ever help anyone or anything. In fact, they only make things worse. But, when we have a true prudent moment to offer mercy, many of us find it hard to offer it. When we haven't asked Christ for mercy and felt the love that flows from His mercy, it's hard to understand how beneficial that can be for another. I don't remember all the words in St. Faustina's Diary when I read it for Season One of my podcast "Journeying with the Saints," but I do remember the overwhelming message of Christ's mercy. He wants us to come and receive it and be healed by it--all of us. Have a beautiful Divine Mercy Sunday, Catholic Pilgrims.
Continue ReadingSeveral weeks back, I found out that my middle daughter was going to be visiting our oldest daughter at Berkeley over the Easter weekend. Our oldest is a Focus Missionary there. Anyway, since they both were going to be somewhat close, I knew we needed to make the drive to them. I told my daughter to invite a few of the students over who were staying in town and we could have a small-ish Easter meal. Thinking it was going to be around 12 of us, I started planning for a small crowd. Well, that crowd began to swell and swell. Soon, we had around 25 people wanting to come. My husband and I decided that we wanted to dote on the students a bit, so we planned a modified egg hunt. My daughter was worried we were going to make them all run around with baskets and hunt eggs like kids, but I told her to have faith. We bought about 25 eggs of various sizes and filled them with gifts: Some had money, some candy, some religious items. Then we came up with a game called the Great Egg Search/Swap. As we were driving up there, I was worried that if extra people showed up, they wouldn't have an egg. But, I concluded, if they didn't sign up, they got left out. As the game started, I counted the students and we had just enough eggs. But then...more students kept coming. They were all smiling and everyone was so eager to play, I couldn't tell them to just sit it out. So, I ran in my daughter's house and desperately looked for something to put in the extra eggs we had on hand. I prayed that I could come up with something--anything--to include everyone. Amazingly, I started finding things in my purse to give away, including a $50 Old Navy gift card. I ran out to hide them and then went back out front. Then more students showed up and I ran back into the house. Again, I found things to give away out of the supplies I had brought. In the end, every single person had a gift.. It was one of those situations where the Lord provided. It was also incredible how I was so eager to give away things that I probably wouldn't normally have parted with. I just wanted to share and God blessed that. Never doubt what good can come from wanting to bless others, Catholic Pilgrims.
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