Lent: A Time of Fasting, Prayer, and Pennance

So we have just begun the wonderful Lenten season all across the world. We begin to prepare ourselves for the death and resurrection of the Lord. For me Lent is one of my favorite times of the Church season, although it requires much work in our physical and spiritual lives. Lent is not easy, but at the end of it I always feel better. I always like to see Lent as the Spring Cleaning of our lives/souls. We begin to notice how our society is filled with excess and busyness. We are able to get back to our roots of focusing in on the beauty of Christ and The Cross.

Through the Lenten season we focus on fasting. As you have seen in the clip above, different people have different views of how fasting should be done. It has been said by many that "fasting is a lost art of the Church." In our modern culture we have such excess that it is hard to comprehend the idea of purposely restricting ones self from the comforts of daily life. Fasting can be done in many ways like as stated in the video from above. If you are in love with technology maybe your IPhone or Facebook is a great thing to give up. Refraining from food/things can help us to bring our bodies under the control of our souls and better in tune with what the Lord is calling us to in our daily lives.

Just as we give things up, it is a great idea to add things to your prayer life. Prayer is another key component to Lent. As we are fasting we become more capable to be in touch with the graces that God has for us. So we can help build our prayer lives in a deeper way by adding something a little extra to our daily prayer lives. It could be setting a schedule of prayer time of 5 minutes in the morning and/or evening before bed time. Maybe picking up a reading a chapter of the Bible every day (start with the Gospels first). Another option is reading the Sunday mass reading before you go to church or on the daily saint of the day. You can look to the left on the blog with the link "Mass Readings" and "Saint of the Day" and you can instantly have access to them. Whatever it is God will greatly enjoy it.

This year the Diocese of Baton Rouge is continuing "The Light Is On" campaign to give all Catholics the opportunity to go to sacrament of Confession. Every Wednesday evening St. George will have multiple priests hearing confession from 6-7:30pm. Also, St. George will still be having its weekly confessions from 2:30-3:30 before the Saturday vigil mass. So be sure to clean house during this Lenten season. There is no better way to celebrate Lent then recognizing the forgiving power of Christ on the Cross. So if it has been a 6 months or 6 years don't miss out.

Be sure to make this Lent a Great one. Every year during Lent is a great to concentrate on one sin in your life you struggle with. If you manage to help reduce the occurrence of sin or wipe out the struggle all together then it was a success. Even if you are unable to reduce the occurrence, just being aware/admitting it in your life is half the battle. Take this Lent and make it a good one. Just remember Jesus spent 40 days in the desert in prayer and fasting. He totally knows what your going through when you have the temptation to break fasting and prayer. He was there himself.

Spong Bob & The Seven Deadly Sins

I have a friend of mine who did a reflection on the 7 deadly sins via through "Sponge Bob Square Pants." I think it helps understand the sin in our own lives and in the world.  Make sure you start prepping for Lent!  IT'S ONLY A FEW DAYS AWAY.  You should totally check it out on his blog WHO EVER SAID THERE ISN'T ANYTHING GOOD ON TV?: SPONGE BOB AND THE 7 DEADLY SINS Once you click on the link you can simply click on his power point slides to make it full screen.  ENJOY!

Nunjas: The Tools We Need For Spiritual Warfare

Take a look at this video! It is amazing awesomeness indeed. I have to say, I would want to join a religious order that gets down with battling the evil in the world. The pope must have totally turned these nuns into a secretive order. Maybe they are the CIA of the Catholic Church. It is funny to think about, even knowing this is not the case. However, they could be instead of seen possibly fighting the spiritual evil of the world through their prayer and actions. So even though this video is real, lets take a look at the video with the context of: "This how nuns get down when they are praying it up in their convents." They simply are just conquering wave after wave of spiritual attack the evil one.

It is important to remember as Catholics the importance of the spiritual realm within our world. The notion of Good and Evil. As we talked about in youth group last night about the existence of Hell and evil within the world we must safeguard our souls to keep them yearning for the Lord. There are so many things to get consumed in our culture today. What is it that we dedicate our time and lives to?
When I first asked myself this question I was startled at the things that I worry about that are

We must continually strive to pursue holiness in our daily vocation in answering the call of Christ has for us. In doing this we are able to choose the path that God has laid out before our lives. It is so easy to succumb to what the devil continually tempts us with, because it doesn't take work. We must safeguard our body and soul and continually ask for the strength from the Lord via Holy Spirit to consume everything that we do so that it may help build the kingdom here on earth. Pray for holiness and strength thru the Holy Spirit to be a light to the world.

It best said by Harry Loes "This Little Light Of Mine, Im Gonna Let It Shine!"

Why I Love Religion, and Love Jesus: Catholic to The Core

So I thought this would be good to post on the blog in regards to the "Why I Love Jesus, But Hate Religion" video that has become the buzz of YouTube over the last month. This video was done by a novice of St. John Bosco's order. So it is truly a great video that is done in the same style as the original.

It is so easy to be able to just give up the religion thing and say we love Jesus because when we do that it makes life easier. If we simply say we love Jesus, but hate religion we have no sacraments that Mother Church. On top of that we do not have to live to a moral code either if you think about it. Religions all across the world have some form of moral ethical code/rules that each follower must strive for. So be sure to past this video on to people that you know if you find people wanting to side with I Love Jesus, But Hate Religion. I have included the lyrics to this guys poem he wrote in the video. ENJOY!

Lyrics to Poem:

So what if told you Jesus came to love with his heart?
Didn't come to end religion, man of the law from the start,
As it's written he did not come to abolish, but to fulfill
The law and the prophets, as was his Father's will.

None of us perfect all sinners together,
But Christ and Religion you can't really sever.
We need some help in the Church that I believe,
But don't speak to the people half truths to deceive.
Many people and children listen to every word that you say,
So use wisely your authority, and don't lead them astray.

We are the Church of the blind but we pray for that vision;
I pray that we stay with Christ and St. Peter and create no division.
A church without religion is a house that's divided;
Integratin' truth and doctrine will keeps us united.

By creating this dialogue, I respect what you're doin';
Just make sure it's for God what it is that you're brewin'.
Give to Ceasar what is Ceasar's and what's God's straight to Him,
Arise pick up your mat he came to forgive us our sin.

Now lets step out of this fog,
and take from your eye that blinding log;
Now you judgin' religious like we're all the same people,
All fools who head towards the same steeple.

You call us to be genuine, and that's all good and so true,
Stay in Christ's Church we need passionate men like you
Who strive not only to talk the talk, but really walk the walk,
Love in our hearts written with blood and not chalk.

Yes, I got my Heavenly Father, and His Spirit, my guide,
I got Christ the Word who speaks deep inside.
And at the cross of my God and my Savior I too kneel,
But it's also prophets, Angels, and Saints that I feel.
They feel so close, and I can call them my family,
Cause at the cross he gave us his own Mother Mary.

And then He said it is finished...and yes, it was sincere,
But not to abolish religion, and condemn a people so dear,
Instead he showed the effulgence of God's human face,
Offering Salvation to the whole mortal race.

We build our churches as dwellings for our God and our King,
Where we gather in faith, give praise, are nourished, and sing.
Inspired by the art, the beauty of Salvation's story,
Sent out to the poor to proclaim God's glory.

We're not here to save the world, Jesus makes all things new,
He is the new Adam, the crucified King of the Jews.
He died and was buried, but then he arose,
I know he's alive, and it's me that he chose.

I too boast of my weakness, take courage 'n' don't fear,
I pray for humility and the strength to persevere,
I too was a lost sheep drugs liquor and all that,
I was the one laying paralyzed on that mat.

Jesus lifted me up and gave me a new look,
His hand I then took and turned to that sacred book.

I too love Jesus but stand on his foundation,
He gave us the Church, the Sabbath, and all of Creation.
You say that Jesus and religion are on opposite sides of the line
But he gave Peter the keys to start something Divine.

We're now the Body of Christ and I'm proud and stand tall,
Yes I recognize that on the cross Christ gave it all.
Some are self-righteous but many act with compassion and love,
I'm giving my life for this religion that you speak of.

God gave us a vocation, mine's a priest with Don Bosco,
Christ gave us all mission, so together lets go.
And don't be a slave to the rules, let them set you free,
Thank God for the Church or I wouldn't know how to be me.

Come meet my religious friends who are living with Christ,
Who know that with life giving love comes great sacrifice.
You speak well and now I pray for you always,
But you continue your journey, don't get lost in the haze.

CHURCH now I speak to you, I beg and I plead
We recognize in our common baptism, we have been freed,
Let us rejoice as one in the love, and Spirit He gave us,
Let us cherish Tradition and His law that he made for us,
Let us walk in the light of Christ Jesus, our friend,
Yes, not as slaves, but as friends, Amen...Amen!

The Last Things

Over the next weeks at our Monday Nights we will be having a four week theme on "The Final Four: Last Things." We will be talking about the final four options of the soul. These consist of death/judgement, hell, purgatory, and heaven. It is going to be amazingly sweet discussions with various speakers from the area. Fr. Brent Maher will be talking tonight on Death & Judgement so come on out and make sure you make it to Monday Night Gtown over the next few weeks. You know the time 7-9pm. BE THERE!